• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.180-188
• /
• 2015

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of Paljeong-san on chronic nonbacterial prostatitis induced in rats by estradiol. Methods: Rats were divided into three groups. The normal group included rats with no intervention after sham castration. The control group included rats with prostatitis induced by 17β-estradiol after orchiectomy; these rats were orally administered normal saline. The sample group rats were administered Paljeong-san after prostatitis induction. Evaluations included changes in epithelial score, body weight, and prostate weight and volume, as well as histopathological changes in prostate tissue and gene expression of TNF-α, COX-2, and CD68. Results: Paljeong-san inhibited histopathological changes and monocyte/macrophage infiltration of the prostate. The epithelial score was higher for the sample group than for the control group (P<0.05). Paljeong-san administration decreased the gene expression of TNF-α and CD68. Conclusions: Paljeong-san shows prostate-protective effects by inhibiting infiltration by monocytes/macrophages and by reducing TNF-α gene expression. Conclusions: Paljeong-san shows prostate-protective effects by inhibiting infiltration by monocytes/macrophages and by reducing TNF-α gene expression.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.11 no.11
• /
• pp.239-247
• /
• 2021

This paper aims to increase functionality and competitiveness through fermentation of rice bran, which is used as a raw material for alternative foods and cosmetics. Cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects were confirmed using rice bran extract fermented with Saccharomycopsis fibuligera A8 isolated from Nuruk. In the case of cytotoxicity, cytotoxicity was shown at 100 ㎍/mL for rice bran extracts, but cytotoxicity was not shown for fermented rice bran extracts. Meanwhile, as a result of confirming anti-inflammatory effects through inflammatory indicators such as nitric oxide, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, rice bran extracts showed anti-inflammatory effects at concentrations of 100 ㎍/mL or higher only nitric oxide and TNF-α. And fermented rice bran extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory effects at concentrations of 25 ㎍/mL, 25 ㎍/mL, 50 ㎍/mL, and 50 ㎍/mL, respectively, exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects in lower concentration. Meanwhile, as a result of testing the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects of heat-killed S. fibuligera, it was found that the heat-killed S. fibuligera showed anti-inflammatory effect in fermented products.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.163-171
• /
• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of Sparassis crispa (SC). SC is a well-known traditional herbal remedy and its mushroom is used for treatment of inflammation. Many diseases that are increasing recently have characteristics of inflammatory diseases. Researchers are finding bioactive substances from natural products that can promote treatment and prevention of inflammation. We investigated the effect of water extracted from SC on the expression of effector genes involved in the function of RAW 264.7 cells. Methods : Effects of RAW 264.7 cells on cell viability, antioxidation, and mRNA expression were examined using water extracts from SC. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay was performed to determine the effect of water extracts from SC on cell viability in RAW 264.7 cells. Inflammation of RAW 264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment and expression levels of inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, iNOS and IL-1β gene were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Results : The MTS assay was performed on RAW 264.7 cells after treatment with various concentrations of water extracts of SC. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with water extracts from SC and LPS at a concentration of 0.125, 0.5 mg/㎖ for twenty four hours promoted mRNA expression of TNF-α, iNOS and IL-1β. Conclusion : MTS assay was applied to RAW 264.7 cells after various concentrations of water extracts of SC. Through experimental demonstration of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of water extracts from SC, we suggest that SC is a valuable material for the prevention and treatment of various inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.12
• /
• pp.1896-1904
• /
• 2020

Muscle atrophy, characterized by a reduced number and size of myofibers, occurs due to immobilization, aging, and several chronic diseases. Leonurus japonicus, belonging to the Labiatae family, is widely used as a traditional medicine in Korea, China, and Japan. Previous studies have reported that L. japonicus has various physiological activities, such as anti-bacteria, anti-cancer, and liver protection. Leonurine, which is a major bioactive in L. japonicas, is known to possess biological effects including anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis, anti-angiogenesis, and anti-diabetes. However, the preventive effects of L. japonicas and leonurine on muscle have not been reported. The current study aimed to determine the inhibitory effects of standardized L. japonicus extract (LJE) and leonurine on muscle atrophy by clarifying their underlying molecular mechanisms in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-stimulated L6 myotubes. LJE and leonurine stimulated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway that was reduced by TNF-α treatment. LJE and leonurine not only increased the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway for protein anabolism but also decreased the mRNA expression of E3 ubiquitin ligases by blocking the translocation of Forkhead box O, which is closely linked with proteolysis. Additionally, LJE and leonurine alleviated inflammatory responses by downregulating TNF-α and interleukin-6 mRNA expression and reducing the protein expression of nuclear factor-kappa B, a major transcriptional factor of proinflammatory cytokines. Collectively, LJE and leonurine have potential as therapeutic candidates for inhibiting the development of skeletal muscle atrophy by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway and reducing inflammatory responses.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.265-273
• /
• 2022

In this study, we investigated whether Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. var. coloratum) has anti-inflammatory effects that play key roles in the regulation of pathological mechanism of atopic dermatitis (AD). Four kinds of fractions, hexane (HX), ethyl acetate (EA), butanol (BU), and methylene chloride (MC), were used and RAW264.7 mouse macrophages and RBL-2H3 rat basophils were used to measure various inflammatory markers. EA significantly decreased mRNA expression and protein secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-4 but HX did not affect these markers. In addition, BU decreased mRNA expressions of IL-4 and IL-6 whereas MC decreased IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expressions. As a result, Korean mistletoe can show anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the secretion of cytokines related to AD, so it is thought that it will be possible to develop functional cosmetics related to this.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.101-107
• /
• 2022

Tertomotide is a peptide vaccine developed for anti-cancer therapy. Since it has been found to ameliorate inflammatory symptoms in animal studies and clinical test, we investigated anti-inflammation activity of the tertomotide and the mechanism of action in monocyte in order to assess if tertomotide may serve as an anti-inflammatory agent by checking inflammatory cytokines and related signaling pathway following tertomotide treatment. We found that tertomotide reduced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 in LPS- or PMA-stimulated monocyte cell line and suppressed NF-κB signaling including the activation of ERK1/2 and P38 MAPK following TNF-α treatment. These results may correlate to the beneficial findings in animal studies, implicating that tertomotide may act as a potential anti-inflammatory agent. This study is an exemplary case for convergence that a computationally designed peptide for immunological purpose exerting unexpected biological activity may elicit novel anti-inflammatory drug.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.443-449
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study was to observe cell death in human keratinocytes stimulated against the infectious cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ, and to observe the expression of Phospho-NF-κB due to phosphorylation of IkB to confirm the mechanism of inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines. As a result of cell viability analysis, differences in PEMF stimulation time were observed little by little after 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours, but there was no statistical significance according to PEMF stimulation time for each time (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed in the total amount of NF-κB present in the cytoplasm and nucleus, but a significant decrease in the expression of phosphorylated NF-κB was observed in the group exposed to PEMF stimulation for 24 hours (^*p<0.05). The expression of IL-1β was observed in all inflammation-induced groups, and the concentration of IL-1β compared to α-Tubulin expression was reduced by about 54% in the PEMF-stimulated group for 24 hours compared to the control group (^***p<0.001). As a result of the study, it is shown that PEMF stimulation does not negatively affect HaCaT cells from 0 to 48 hours and can inhibit the expression of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the pathway of NF-κB.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.855-869
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic disease with an increasing incidence globally; therefore, there is a growing demand for natural compounds effective in treating dermatitis. In this study, the protective effects of Lycium barbarum leaves with and without chlorophyll (LLE and LLE[Ch-]) on AD were investigated in animal models of AD and HaCaT cells. Further, we investigated whether LLE and LLE(Ch-) show any differences in physiological activity. MATERIALS/METHODS: AD was induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) for three weeks, while NC/Nga mice were fed LLE or LLE(Ch-) extracts for 7 weeks. Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and cytokine (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, and IL-4) concentrations and the degree of DNA fragmentation in lymphocytes were examined. A histopathological examination (haematoxylin & eosin staining and blue spots of toluidine) of the dorsal skin of mice was performed. To elucidate the mechanism of action, the expression of the thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) were measured in HaCaT cells. RESULTS: Serum IgE and cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) levels as well as DNA fragmentation of lymphocytes were significantly decreased in AD-induced mice treated with LLE or LLE(Ch-) compared to those of the control group. The epidermal thickness of the dorsal skin and mast cell infiltration in the LLE group significantly reduced compared to that in the control group. The LLE extracts showed no cytotoxicity up to 1,000 ㎍/mL in HaCaT cells. LLE or LLE(Ch-)-treated group showed a reduction of TARC and MDC in TNF-α-and IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that LLE potentially improves inflammation by reducing the expression of chemokines that inhibit T helper 2 cell migration. LLE(Ch-) showed similar effects to LLE on blood levels of IgE, TNF-α and IL-6 and protein expression in HaCat cells, but the ultimate effect of skin improvement was not statistically significant. Therefore, both LLE and LLE(Ch-) can be used as functional materials to alleviate AD, but LLE(Ch-) appears to require more research to improve inflammation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.30-41
• /
• 2024

The dense granule protein of Toxoplasma gondii, inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (IST) is an inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) transcriptional activity that binds to STAT1 and regulates the expression of inflammatory molecules in host cells. A sterile inflammatory liver injury in pathological acute liver failures occurs when excessive innate immune function, such as the massive release of IFN-γ and TNF-α, is activated without infection. In relation to inflammatory liver injury, we hypothesized that Toxoplasma gondii inhibitor of STAT1 transcription (TgIST) can inhibit the inflammatory response induced by activating the STAT1/IRF-1 mechanism in liver inflammation. This study used IFN-γ and TNF-α as inflammatory inducers at the cellular level of murine hepatocytes (Hepa-1c1c7) to determine whether TgIST inhibits the STAT1/IRF-1 axis. In stable cells transfected with TgIST, STAT1 expression decreased with a decrease in interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1 levels. Furthermore, STAT1 inhibition of TgIST resulted in lower levels of NF-κB and COX2, as well as significantly lower levels of class II transactivator (CIITA), iNOS, and chemokines (CLXCL9/10/11). TgIST also significantly reduced the expression of hepatocyte proapoptotic markers (Caspase3/8/9, P53, and BAX), which are linked to sterile inflammatory liver injury. TgIST also reduced the expression of adhesion (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) and infiltration markers of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) induced by hepatocyte and tissue damage. TgIST restored the cell apoptosis induced by IFN-γ/TNF-α stimulation. These results suggest that TgIST can inhibit STAT1-mediated inflammatory and apoptotic responses in hepatocytes stimulated with proinflammatory cytokines.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.116-123
• /
• 2015

Objectives : The present study was designed to investigate effects and molecular mechanisms of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidzumi extracts(AMK) on the improvement of adipocyte dysfunction induced by TNF-${\alpha}$ in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We examined whether AMK could directly influence the inflammation and insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods : Potential roles of AMK in the lipolysis, production of inflammatory adipokines and ROS, expression and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein, and expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ were investigated in this study. Results : Our data demonstrated that TNF-${\alpha}$ significantly increased lipolysis, levels of MCP-1, IL-6, and ROS and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein, while TNF-${\alpha}$ reduced the expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ in adipocytes, suggesting that TNF-${\alpha}$ induced a condition with the occurrence of inflammation and insulin resistance. Those alterations induced by TNF-${\alpha}$ were prevented by the treatment of AMK. AMK down-regulated the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein and up-regulated the expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammation and insulin resistance. Conclusions : Thus, our results indicate that AMK can be used to prevent from the TNF-${\alpha}$-induced adipocyte dysfunction through MAPK, $NF{\kappa}B$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathways.