• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2013

Normal-karyotype acute myeloid leukemia (NK-AML) is a highly malignant and cytogenetically heterogeneous hematologic cancer. We searched for somatic mutations from 10 pairs of tumor and normal cells by using a highly efficient and reliable analysis workflow for whole-exome sequencing data and performed association tests between the NK-AML and somatic mutations. We identified 21 nonsynonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) located in a coding region of 18 genes. Among them, the SNVs of three leukemia-related genes (MUC4, CNTNAP2, and GNAS) reported in previous studies were replicated in this study. We conducted stepwise genetic risk score (GRS) models composed of the NK-AML susceptible variants and evaluated the prediction accuracy of each GRS model by computing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The GRS model that was composed of five SNVs (rs75156964, rs56213454, rs6604516, rs10888338, and rs2443878) showed 100% prediction accuracy, and the combined effect of the three reported genes was validated in the current study (AUC, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.00). Further study with large sample sizes is warranted to validate the combined effect of these somatic point mutations, and the discovery of novel markers may provide an opportunity to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for NK-AML.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2010

Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai (Araliaceae) is a medicinal plant indigenous to Korea. The root and stem barks of Acanthopanax species have been used as a tonic and sedative as well as in the treatment of rheumatism and diabetes. In our study, three lignans, eleutheroside E (EE), tortoside A (TA), and syringaresinol (SY), were isolated from the stem and root of A. koreanum in an effort to study the immunomodulating effect. We treated natural killer cells and dendritic cells with lignans (EE, TA, or SY), and analyzed their cytokine (IL-12 and IFN-${\gamma}$) secretion. EE, TA, or SY markedly enhanced IL-12 secretion in mouse lymphoid (DC1) and myeloid type (DC2.4) dendritic cells after 48 hr of treatment. There were no significant differences in the cytokine stimulatory effects between EE, TA, or SY. Moreover, treatment of EE, TA, or SY significantly induced IFN-${\gamma}$ secretion by human NK cells (NK92MI) confirmed by ELISA assay. This study suggests that lignans from A. koreanum modulate cytokines, and that such modulation may provide the mechanism of action for many of their therapeutic effects.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2016

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a natural fungus that has been valued as a health food and used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. The fungus is parasitic and colonizes insect larva. Naturally occurring O. sinensis thrives at high altitude in cold and grassy alpine meadows on the Himalayan mountain ranges. Wild Ophiocordyceps is becoming increasingly rare in its natural habitat, and its price limits its use in clinical practice. Therefore, the development of a standardized alternative is a great focus of research to allow the use of Ophiocordyceps as a medicine. To develop an alternative for wild Ophiocordyceps, a refined standardized extract, CBG-CS-2, was produced by artificial fermentation and extraction of the mycelial strain Paecilomyces hepiali CBG-CS-1, which originated from wild O. sinensis. In this study, we analyzed the in vitro immune-modulating effect of CBG-CS-2 on natural killer cells and B and T lymphocytes. CBG-CS-2 stimulated splenocyte proliferation and enhanced Th1-type cytokine expression in the mouse splenocytes. Importantly, in vitro CBG-CS-2 treatment enhanced the killing activity of the NK-92MI natural killer cell line. These results indicate that the mycelial culture extract prepared from Ophiocordyceps exhibits immune-modulating activity, as was observed in vivo and this suggests its possible use in the treatment of diseases caused by abnormal immune function.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.364-368
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• 2012

Bovine lactoferrin is well known as biological activator in defense mechanism related some cells. In this study, we was investigated about the immune modulator as a role of lactoferrin through the transcriptional regulation of genes associated with hypersensitivity such as allergy, athma and inflammatory disease. Effects of inflammatory reaction of bovine lactoferrin was carried out by RT-PCR analysis from isolated total RNA treated with lactoferrin 0, 10, 50, 100, 500 ${\mu}g/mL$ and PMA 100 ng/mL. The expression of the TYROBP, PITPNA, IL-10, SLP1, DC-stamp and ICAM-1 mRNA were increased by synergy effect of bovine lactoferrin and PMA. The results of RT-PCR showed that bovine lactoferrin and PMA had an effect of immune modulator by enhancement of TYROBP, PITPNA, SLP1, DC-stamp, IL-10 and ICAM-1 gene transcription in U937, Mutz-3 and NK92 cells, respectively. Bovine lactoferrin showed a potential of biological function which could be used for industrial applications as a material of food and pharmaceutical.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

Investigation of secondary bioactive metabolites from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius hatsudake led to the isolation of four azulene derivatives by means of repeated column chromatography and preparative HPLC, and they were identified as 1-formyl-4-methyl-7-isopropyl azulene (1), lactaroviolin (2), 4-methyl-7-isopropyl-azulene-1-carboxylic acid (3), and 1-formyl-4-methyl-7-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl) azulene (4) by their physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic analysis. The isolated compounds were evaluated for the effects on modulation of cytokines in natural killer cell line (NK92 cells). Compounds 1 and 4 strongly inhibited IFN-$\gamma$ production in a dose-dependent manner, corresponding to 101.3 % and 92.7 % inhibition at 400 ${\mu}M$, and 11.9 % and 24.1 % at 100 ${\mu}M$, respectively, whereas compounds 2 and 3 showed weak inhibitory effect on INF-$\gamma$ production, corresponding to 45.9 % and 18.0 % inhibition at 400 ${\mu}M$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.304-310
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• 2019

Interleukin-21 is a common ${\gamma}$-chain cytokine that controls the immune responses of B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells. Targeting IL-21 to strengthen the immune system is promising for the development of vaccines as well as anti-infection and anti-tumor therapies. However, the practical application of IL-21 is limited by the high production cost. In this study, we improved IL-21 production by codon optimization and selection of appropriate signal peptide in CHO-K1 cells. Codon-optimized or non-optimized human IL-21 was stably transfected into CHO-K1 cells. IL-21 expression was 10-fold higher for codon-optimized than non-optimized IL-21. We fused five different signal peptides to codon-optimized mature IL-21 and evaluated their effect on IL-21 production. The best result (a 3-fold increase) was obtained using a signal peptide derived from human azurocidin. Furthermore, codon-optimized IL-21 containing the azurocidin signal peptide promoted $IFN-{\gamma}$ secretion and STAT3 phosphorylation in NK-92 cells similar to codon-optimized IL-21 containing original signal peptide. Collectively, these results indicate that codon optimization and azurocidin signal peptides provide an efficient approach for the high-level production of IL-21 as a biopharmaceutical.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2009

Little is known about roles of adipose tissue, although obesity is one of the potential risk factors in causing breast cancer and adipose tissue surrounding breast ductal cells is the largest organ. To identify the genes that are regulated by factors secreted from adipocytes in breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with the culture medium of adipocytes. In present study glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor-related protein ligand (GITRL) gene was studied among the induced genes. It was found that GITRL was significantly increased by the culture medium of adipocytes. Proteinase K-treated adipocyte culture supernatants failed to induce GITRL expression. These findings indicate that unknown protein factors are responsible for the induction of GITRL expression. The expression of GITRL did not affect the invasive ability of MDA-MB-231 cells, but coculture with NK92 expressing GITR suppressed the invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2006

The methanolic (MeOH) extract of A. fruticosa bark, which showed immune-regulatory activities, was separated to purify an active compared by means of a multi-stage column chromatography. This resulted in the isolation and characterization of an isoflavone glycoside named 4', $6-Dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside$. Immuno-regulatory activities of the crude extract of Amorpha fruticosa LINNE bark were compared with that of an isoflavone glycoside (4', $6-dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside$). The crude methanolic extract of A. fruticosa and purified single compound showed 16% of relatively low cytotoxicity at a maximum concentration of 1.0 g/L in cultivated normal human lung cell line (HEL299). Cell growth of human T cells was increased up to 15%, 0.5 g/L of the crude extract added group. This was higher than a single compound added one. On the other hand, specific production rates of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ from T cell were higher in the purified compound treat group ($0.82{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell$ and $1.08{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell$, respectively), compared to 0.5 g/L of the crude extract added group ($0.65{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell$ and $0.84{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell$, respectively). In addition, the growth of NK-92MI cells incubated with the crude extract was higher up to 56% over the cells grown with a single compound (0.5 g/L). In overall, the crude extract showed relatively higher immuno-regulatory activities compared with a single compound, probably due to the synergic effect given by other substances existed in the crude extract. Even though the siolated compound stimulated higher secretion of cytokines from human T cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.161-170
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• 2005

This study was performed to examine immuno-regulatory activities of Ehpedrae Sinica STAPF, Rubus Coreanus Miq. and Angelica gigas Nakai extracts in conbination with ultrasonification. The extract yields of plants were the highest in the extraction system of $60^{\circ}C$ and 40 kHz of ultrasonification. The immune cell growth ratio of human immune B and T cells was increased compared to other fractions by the water fraction of the plants at $60^{\circ}C$ and 40 kHz. The water fractions of the plants at $60^{\circ}C$ and 40 kHz increased the specific secretion of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ of human immune B and T cells compared to other fractions of the plants. The water fraction of Ehpedrae Sinica STAPF among the plants was observed to show the highest specific secretion of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. Also, NK-92 MI cells growth was increased in adding the water fractions of the plants at $60^{\circ}C$ and 40 kHz. The water fraction of Ehpedrae Sinica STAPF among the plants showed the highest in NK-92 MI cell growth ratio. The differentiation activity of the HL-60 cells significantly increased in adding the water fraction of Ehpedrae Sinica STAPF compared to other fractions of the plants. These results suggest that the water fractions of the plants in extraction system of temperature $60^{\circ}C$ and ultrasonification 40 kHz have marked useful immuno-stimulatory activities.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1993.05a
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• pp.92-92
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• 1993

It is generally agreed that cellular immune functions are damaged by radiation therapy(RT). However, the exact effects of RT on peripheral lymphocytes are not yet clear. Authors previously reported the radiation effects on lymphocytes subpopulations, but these results merely showed the alteration of proportion of lymphocytes subpopulations after RT. So we try to evaluate the number of lymphocytes in each subpopulations as well as the proportion of subpopulations, and the recovery patterns of these alterations by time duraion after RT. The result shows that the proportion of subpopulations and number of lymphocytes in each subpopulations are decreased after RT except natural killer cells(NK cells), which proportion is increased but number is not changed, and these changes are stationary continued for post RT 6 months and then gradually recovered. However, the radiation effects on peripheral lymphocytes still remain after one year.