• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2014

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been used as a traditional medicinal ingredient and the ginseng flower-buds also proved to have good medicinal properties. In this study, in order to enhance immune activities of ginseng flower-bud, the ginseng flower-bud extract was being fermented by Bacillus subtilis KCTC 1022 (BS), Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC3 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain CHY1011 (SC). Mice were orally administered daily for two weeks at two different concentrations (100 and 200 mg/kg B.W.). Treatment samples were water extracts of ginseng flower-buds (FD), water extracts of fermented ginseng flower-buds (FM) and controls for saline solution. Cytokine production (IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$) either stimulated with LPS or not stimulated with LPS was detected by the ELISA assay when using the cytokine kit. Cytokine was statistically increased at supplemented groups with LPS in both the 100 and the 200 mg/kg B.W. and treatment with FM significantly decreased the LPS-induced TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 production more than the treatment with FD. The results of this study may suggest that supplementation with FM increases the immune function by regulating cytokine production capacity for activated macrophages.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.218-226
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the possibility of Kaempferia Galanga(KG) hot water extract on the antioxidant, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory efficacy as a cosmetic ingredient. Antioxidant effects were evaluated based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, FRAP assay, and total polyphenol contents. The MTT assay was used to confirm the cell toxicity in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Anti-inflammatory effects were also investigated in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells by measuring secretion of NO, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and iNOS, $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression level. As a result, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were increased in a concentration-dependent manner. The ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP) was the highest at 5 mg/mL as 24.5 uM. The measurements of total polyphenol content was $1.28{\pm}0.064mg\;GAE/g$. The cytotoxicity of the KG extract results showed no cytotoxicity at concentration of 0.625 to 2.5 mg/mL. In addition, the extract of KG significantly suppressed the LPS-induced nitrite, $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion and the mRNA expression of iNOS, $TNF-{\alpha}$ in RAW264.7 cells. Taken together, these data suggest that the KG hot water extracts can be used as a safe and functional cosmetic raw material.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.772-778
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• 2005

Purpose : Kawasaki disease(KD) is a systemic panvasculitis that causes coronary artery lesions. KD is accompanied by immunoregulatory abnormalities. Nitric oxide(NO) can induce relaxation of blood vessels by activating guanylate cyclase in smooth muscle cells and high levels of NO may result in coronary artery lesions. We investigated tumor necrosis factor$(TNF)-{\alpha}$ and NO production before and after intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) therapy to study the roles of NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in KD with coronary artery lesions. Methods : Serum levels of NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ were measured in 24 patients with KD(group I, eight patients with normal coronary artery; group II, 16 patients with coronary artery lesions) and 23 controls(group III, 13 afebrile controls; group IV, 10 febrile controls). Blood samples from each subject were drawn before and after IVIG therapy and in the convalescent stage. Serum concentrations of NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ were measured by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay. Results : The NO levels before IVIG therapy were significantly higher in group II than in group I, group III and group IV. After IVIG therapy the levels of NO were significantly higher in group I and group II than in group III. The $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels before IVIG therapy were significantly higher in group I and group II than in group III. The serum $TNF-{\alpha}$ and NO levels were higher before IVIG therapy and decreased through the convalescent stage in KD patients. In the acute stage of KD patients with coronary artery lesions, serum NO levels significantly correlated with white blood cells (r=0.43, P<0.05). Conclusion : The serum concentration levels of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and NO were abnormally high in KD patients and NO concentrations were statistically higher in the KD patients with coronary artery abnormalities than those without coronary abnormality during the early stage of the KD. These results suggest NO may be involved in the development of coronary artery lesions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.4215-4220
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• 2011

This study introduces a new concept for a simple, efficient and cheap sensitivity amplification of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) based immunosensor system for the detection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$, TNF) by using an in-built magnetic system. The frequency shift due to the applied magnetic field was successfully observed on magnetic particles labeled detection antibodies, anti-human TNF-${\alpha}$, which were bound to the immunologically captured TNF-${\alpha}$ on the gold coated quartz crystals. In the present system, the magnitude of frequency shift depends on both the strength of magnetic field and the amount of target antigen applied. Significant signal amplification was observed when the additional built-in residual stress generated by the modified magnetic particles under the magnetic field applied. Used in conjunction with a sandwich type non-competitive immunoassay format, the lower detection limit was calculated to be 25 $ngmL^{-1}$ and showed good linearity up to TNF-${\alpha}$ concentrations as high as 2.0 ${\mu}gmL^{-1}$. The sensitivity, most importantly, was improved up to 4.3 times compared with the same QCM system which was used only an antigen-antibody binding without additional magnetic amplification.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.438-444
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• 2011

The mushroom Coriolus versicolor contains biologically active polysaccharides, most of which belong to the ${\beta}$-glucan group. Diverse physicochemical properties, due to different sources and isolated types of ${\beta}$-glucans, can induce distinct biological activities. We investigated the effects of ${\beta}$-glucans from C. versicolor on phagocytic activity, nitric oxide (NO), TNF-${\alpha}$ production, and signaling of dectin-1, a well-known ${\beta}$-glucan receptor, in macrophages. ${\beta}$-Glucans increased phagocytic activity and TNF-${\alpha}$ and NO-iNOS/eNOS production. Laminarin, a specific inhibitor of dectin-1, showed strong inhibitory effects on phagocytosis and subsequent TNF-${\alpha}$, iNOS, and eNOS production increased by ${\beta}$-glucans, indicating that ${\beta}$-glucans reacts with dectin-1 receptors. We examined whether the aforementioned cytokines were involved in the signaling pathway from the dectin-1 receptor to phagocytosis, and found that the inhibition of iNOS, eNOS, and TNF-${\alpha}$ receptors significantly decreased ${\beta}$-glucan-induced phagocytosis. In conclusion, our study showed that dectin-1 signaling, triggered by ${\beta}$-glucans, subsequently elicited TNF-${\alpha}$ and NO-iNOS/eNOS production, and that these molecules seem to act as secondary molecules that cause eventual phagocytosis by macrophages. These findings suggest that C. versicolor could be used as a nutritional medicine that may be useful in the treatment of infectious disease.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2007

Objectives : Sophora flavescens (SF) is widely used in traditional herbal medicine in Korea and is well recognized for its anti-inflammatory effect. However, its effect on Tumornecrosis factor alpha (Tnf) production in BV2 microglial cell is not yet known. Methods : We investigated the effect of SF on the production and expression of Tnf, a well known inflammatory mediator, in lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-activated BV2 microglial cells. Results : The LPS-induced Tnf production was markedly reduced by treatment with SF (50 ${\mu}g/ml$). In reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, SF suppressed the LPS activated expression of Tnf mRNA. In addition, Western blot analysis confirmed that SF suppressed the expression of Tnf. Sophora flavescens also inhibited the LPS-induced phosphylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), which mediate the Tnfproduction signaling pathway whereas LPS-induced phosphylation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK) was not inhibited by SF, which implies that SF suppresses LPS-induced Tnf production via the ERK mediated pathway. Conclusion : Taken together, these findings indicated that SF inhibits LPS-induce Tnf production, and that this inhibitory effect is mediated via the ERK pathway.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 2001

A human hepatoma cell line, Hep G2 cells, is reliable for the study of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\alpha}$ production and EtOH-induced cytotoxicity on Hep G2 cells. The cells were incubated with EtOH in the presence of Artemisia Capillaris Herba(AC) for 24 hours and in the absence of AC for 48 hours. Cytoviability and cytokines release were analyzed by MTT assay and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. After 24 hours of EtOH exposure, the cytoviability had markedly decreased, and the release of cytokines had increased. The increased amount of cytokines contributed to EtOH-induced cytotoxicity. Anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\alpha}$ antibodies almost abolished it. Interestingly, EtOH-induced cytotoxicity and cytokines production were inhibited by AC. Moreover, when AC was used in combination with antibodies, there was a marked inhibition of EtOH-induced cytotoxicity. These results suggest that EtOH-induced cytotoxicity may regulate, by various factors, and AC may prevent the cytotoxicity through partial inhibition of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\alpha}$ secretion.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.54-64
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• 2003

Objective : To investigate immune enhancing effects of Boummyunyuck-dan (BMD) Methods : In this study I investigated the effect of BMD on cell proliferation and viability. In addition, I investigated production of cytokines (IL-2, IL-4 and $IFN-{\gamma}$), NO, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in human T-cell leukemia, MOLT-4 cells. The cells were cultured for 24h in the presence or absence of BMD. Result : BMD increased the cell viability by 15% (P<0.05) and enhanced IL-2, IL-4 and $IFN-{\gamma}$ production compared with media control in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01) at 24h. BMD also increased mRNA and protein expression levels of $IFN-{\gamma}$ in MOLT-4 cells. In addition, I also assessed the effects of BMD on production of NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ from the peritoneal macrophages because NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ as a potent macrophage-derived immune reaction regulatory molecule has received increasing attention. However, BMD had no effect on NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in the cells. Conclusion : These data indicate that BMD has some immune-enhancing effect, and that its action may be due to the proliferation and cytokine production of T cells.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.126-136
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• 2010

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the antiallergic and antioxidative effects of Chaenomeles Sinensis (CS). Methods CS pretreatments inhibited anti-DNP IgE in RBL-2H3 mast cells for an hour. we measured cell viability, $\beta$-hexosaminidase release, IL-4, TNF-$\alpha$ secretion, and IL-4, TNF-$\alpha$ mRNA expression CS pretreatments inhibited DNP-HSA($10\;{\mu}g/ml$) for ten minutes, we measured Dicholrodihydrofluorescein(DCF) and DPPH radical-scavenging activity in 0.5 mM 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrydrazyl(DPPH) radical solution, 0.1ml, 99% ethanol 0.8ml, and CS 0.1 ml mixed solution. Results 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mg/ml CS treatments were not affect on cell viability and inhibited b-hexosaminidase release, IL-4, TNF-$\alpha$ secretion, CS treatments also decreased IL-4, TNF-$\alpha$ mRNA expression in RBL-2H3 cells. CS treatments inhibited reactive oxygen species(ROS) and DPPH radical-scavenging activity. Conclusions These results suggest that CS may be useful for the prevention or treatment of allergic disease.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.319-325
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• 2002

The induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) using combined proinflammatory agents $(LPS/IFN-{\gamma}\;or\;TNF-{\alpha}/IFN-{\gamma})$ was studied in relation to p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional factor in primary neonatal cardiomyocytes. When added to cultures of cardiomyocytes, the combined agents $(LPS/IFN-[\gamma}\;or\;TNF-{\alpha}/IFN-{\gamma})$ had stimulatory effect on the production of IL-6 and the elevation was significantly reduced by SB203580, a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor. SB203580 inhibited protein production and gene expression of IL-6 in a concentration-dependent manner. In this study, $IFN-{\gamma}$ enhancement of $TNF-{\alpha}-induced\;NF-{\kappa}B$ binding affinity as well as p38 MAP kinase activation was observed. However, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, SB203580, had no effect on $TNF-{\alpha}/IFN-{\gamma}\;or\;LPS/IFN-{\gamma}-induced\;NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. This study strongly suggests that these pathways about $TNF-{\alpha}/IFN-{\gamma}$ or $LPS/IFN-{\gamma}-activated$ IL-6 release can be primarily dissociated in primary neonatal cardiomyocytes.