• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.40-54
• /
• 2006

Objective: This study aimed to identify the different effects of GMCSBHT water-extract and ethanol-extract on Th1/Th2 differentiation by monitoring Th1/Th2 specific cytokine secretion patterns and the transcriptional activities of T-bet, GATA-3, c-maf, $INF{\gamma}$ and IL-4. Materials and Methods: Spleen cells from eight week-old BALB/c mice were cultured in GMCSBHT extracts containing medium without activation for 24 hours and with activation for 48 hours. CD4+ T cells were isolated and mRNA expression levels of $INF{\gamma}$, IL-4, T-bet, GATA-3, c-maf by RT-PCR and secretion cytokines levels of $IFN{\gamma}$, IL-4 by ELISA were analyzed. Results: GMCSBHT extracts didn't have mitogenic effects on the unstimulated CD4+ T cells. In Th1 skewed condition, GMCSBAHT water extract had no significant effects on mRNA expression levels of $IFN{\gamma}$, T-bet and c-maf, but inhibited mRNA expression levels of IL-4, GATA-3. It showed significantly increased secretion cytokine levels of $IFN{\gamma}$, but had no significant effect on secretion cytokine levels of IL-4. In Th2 skewed condition, GMCSBHT ethanol extract inhibited mRNA expression levels of $INF{\gamma}$, IL-4, GATA-3 and c-maf significantly, but had no significant effects on mRNA expression levels of T-bet. It had no significant effects on secretion cytokine levels of $INF{\gamma}$, but showed remarkable inhibitory effects on secretion cytokine levels of IL-4. Conclusion: Results suggest that on Th1/Th2 deviation, GMCSBHT water extract has both amplifying effects on Th1 differentiation and inhibitory effects on Th2, but GMCSBHT ethanol extract has stronger inhibitory effects on Th2 differentiation than on Th1.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.383-388
• /
• 2018

In this study, we investigated the effect of bioprocessed polysaccharides (BPPs) from liquid culture of Lentinus edodes fungal mycelia containing rice bran (BPP-RB) on a chicken-derived macrophage cell line, HD-11, when infected with Salmonella Gallinarum, an etiological agent of fowl typhoid. Experimental results demonstrated water extract of BPP-RB did not show growth inhibitory effects on S. Gallinarum 277. Protein expression profiles were also not altered by its treatment. Nonetheless, it could (i) enhance phagocytic activity of HD-11 cells, (ii) activate transcriptional expression of Th1-type cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, iNOS, as well as an immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10, and (iii) negatively regulate Th2-type cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-6. Together results suggest that BPP-RB may be applicable for preventing fowl typhoid or other Salmonella infections in poultry farms as a potential feed additive.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.16-32
• /
• 2016

Objective : The water extract of Bojungikgi-tang (BTE) composed with Ginseng Radix, Astragali Radix, Angelicae gigantis Radix, Atractylodes Rhizoma alba, Aurantii nobilis Pericarpium, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Cimicifuga Rhizoma, and Bupleuri Radix and it has been traditionally used for chronic diseases or weakness after illness in oriental countries. However, little is known about the effects of aqueous extract of BTE on trimellitic anhydride (TMA)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BTE on TMA-induced CHS in BALB/c mice.Methods : In this study, the extract of BTE was prepared by extracting with distilled water at 100℃ for 2.5 h. The extract was freeze-dried following filtration through 0.45 μm filter. Mice were orally administrated with or without BTE extract of different doses (25-200 ㎎/㎏/day) for 28 days. During the challenge period, mice were externally applied with different doses of BTE extract one time per day 30 min before TMA treatment. I examined the effects of BTE on the serum levels of IgE, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production in isolated peritoneal macrophages, Th2 cytokine production in isolated spleen cells, ear swelling responses, and the leukocyte infiltration induced by TMA.Results : The orally and externally administration of BTE dose-dependently reduced the serum levels of hapten-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), IgG1 titer, and PGE₂ production as well as ear swelling responses and leukocyte infiltration in TMA-induced BALB/c mice. The levels of NO and PGE₂ production from peritoneal macrophages stimulated with TMA-BSA were markedly suppressed by pretreatment with BTE in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, the levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) production from spleen cells stimulated with ConA were markedly suppressed by BTE treatment in a concentration dependent manner.Conclusions : These results suggest that BTE treatment suppresses chronic contact hypersensitivity, and it can be assumed that the suppression of ear swelling, serum IgE, NO and PGE₂ levels, leukocyte infiltration, and Th2 cytokines in an animal model. Therefore, these properties may contribute to the strong anti-CHS response effect of BTE.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate anti-atopic dermatitis effect using ato-tang.Methods : Ato-tang was external treatment to NC/Nga mice for 4 weeks, where atopic dermatitis was induced by DNCB at 1% and 0.4% for 3 weeks. Atopic dermatitis index score was measured using eye observation and picture evaluation. The histopathological change of dorsal skin was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Cytokines including IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 were measured by Luminex or reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and immunoglobulin E (IgE) was measured by ELISA reader.Results : The dorsal skin of Ato-tang group showed decrease in erythema, pruritus, dry skin, edema, excoriation, erosion and lichenification level through naked eye observations. Immunoglobulin cell infiltration and the thickness of epidermis were significantly decreased in the dorsal skin compared to control. Production of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) and IgE level in serum were all significantly decreased, in comparison with control. In addition, mRNA expression level of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) in spleen was decreased, in comparison with control.Conclusion : The results indicated that external treatment of ato was improved skin barrier function in the symptoms of atopic dermatitis disease. Also, atopic dermatitis factors where cytokine as well as immunoglobulin E in serum and mRNA expression were decreased, respectively, in comparison with control. Therefore, we suggest that ato could be effectively used as a external therapeutic drug based on atopic dermatitis factors.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.57-67
• /
• 2000

Currently asthma is considered to be an inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary eosinophilia, and mediated by Th lymphocytes expressing a Th 2 cytokine pattern. In many recent studies, molecular biological methods have been used to investigate the role of cytokines in pathogenesis and new therapeutic targets of asthma. Objectives: We aimed to identify the effect of Haepyoijin-tang on the transcriptional activities of cytokines involved in the asthma model. Materials and Methods: RBL-2H3 cell lines were used. Cells were stimulated with DNP-IgE or Calcium inophore+PMA for maximal gene expression. After 24 hours of Haepyoijin-tang-treatment, total cellular RNAs were collected using the Trizol solution method. Then the transcriptional activities of cytokines(IL-1, 4, 5, 10, 13, $TNF-{\alpha}$) were measured by RT-PCR with electrophoresis. Results: DNP-IgE and Calcium inophore+PMA induced IL-4/IL-5 production separately peaked at 3 hours after the stimulation, but the efficacy was better in the Calcium inophore+PMA group. In the IL-4 study, sample groups of 10%, 1 %, 0.01 % Haepyoijin-tang-treatment showed 83%, 98%, 96% of transcriptional activities compared to the control group. In the IL-5 study, sample groups of 10%, 1%, 0.1 %, 0.01 % Haepyoijin-tang showed 97%, 99%, 99%, 99% of transcriptional activities compared to the control group. In other studies any result was not obtained. Conclusions: This study shows that Haepyoijin-tang has an inhibitory effect on the transcription of IL-4 and IL-5 gene expression in RBL-2H3 cell lines. Advanced studies are required to investigate the mechanisms of inhibition by herbal medicine in the asthma model.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2019

Objectives : A traditional herbal prescription, Kyung-Ok-Ko (KOK), has long been used in oriental medicine as an invigorant for age-related diseases, such as amnesia and stroke. However, the beneficial value of KOK for immune responses is largely unknown. Based on the above mentioned effects of KOK, other previous reports, and its use in traditional medicine, we hypothesized that KOK displays beneficial effects against methotrexate (MTX)-induced immune suppression. Methods : We investigated the effects of KOK (0.6 g/kg/day, oral (p.o.)) on deteriorated immunity caused by MTX (2 mg/kg/day, p.o.) in an immune suppression mouse model. MTX was fed to mice once a day for 7 days. After the immune responses of the mice deteriorated by MTX treatment, KOK in water was fed to the mice once a day for 14 days. We then measured the expression levels of various cytokines, such as T helper cell (Th1, Th2) cytokines, and the number of immune cells, such as spleen T cells, B cells, and macrophages. Results : The data showed that MTX decreased Th1 profiles (interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12) and the number of immune cells, and increased Th2 profiles (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13), which were normalized significantly by post-administration of KOK. However, there was no significant difference in body-weight gain between MTX- and KOK-treated mice. Conclusion : These results indicate that KOK has immune-enhancing functions and reduces immunotoxicity of MTX, suggesting that supplementation with KOK will improve immune responses clinically and be useful for the prevention of immune-related diseases.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.35.1-35.16
• /
• 2022

Tobacco smoking (TS) has been known as one of the most potent risk factors for airway inflammatory diseases. However, there has been a paucity of information regarding the immunologic alteration mediated by TS in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). To identify the effect of TS, we harvested human tissue samples (never smoker: n=41, current smoker: n=22, quitter: n=23) and analyzed the expression of epithelial-derived cytokines (EDCs) such as IL-25, IL-33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin. The expressions of Th2 cytokines and total serum IgE showed a type-2 inflammatory alteration by TS. In addition, the epithelial marker E-cadherin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated markers (N-cadherin, α-SMA, and vimentin) were evaluated. Histological analysis showed that EDC expressions were upregulated in the current smoker group and downregulated in the quitter group. These expression patterns were consistent with mRNA and protein expression levels. We also found that the local Th2 cytokine expression and IgE class switching, as well as serum IgE levels, were elevated in the current smoker group and showed normal levels in the quitter group. Furthermore, the expressions of E-cadherin decreased while those of N-cadherin, α-SMA, and vimentin increased in the current smoker group compared those in the never smoker group. Taken together, these results indicate that TS contributes to the deterioration of pathogenesis by releasing local EDCs and Th2 cytokines, resulting in EMT in patients with CRSwNP. We verified that alterations of immunological response by TS in sinonasal epithelium can play a vital role in leading to CRSwNP.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.186-191
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study is to prove the efficacy of KamiBohuh-tang(KBT) on immunoregulation and the possibility of KBT as an immunoadjuvant. KBT with solid feed was administered orally once a day for 7 days to an experimental group, a solution of salt and solid feed without KBT to a control group. After a week T cell, B cell, cytokines, nitric oxide and phagocytic activity are measured. KBT enhanced the proliferation of splenocytes and the subpopulation of Th cells in splenic T-Iymphocytes, but did not affect the proliferation of thymocytes. KBT decreased the subpopulation of T-Iymphocytes in splenocytes. KBT enhanced the production of interferon-γ. interleukin-2, interleukin-4 in mice serum and the phagocytic activity in peritoneal macrophages but it suppressed the production of nitric oxide. These results suggest that KBT is a potent prescription on immune response via the increase of the proliferation of splenocytes, the production of cytokines from splenic Th cells and the phagocytic activity in vivo.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.15-29
• /
• 2006

Objective : Based on the Th1/Th2 inbalance hypothesis, we aimed to evaluate the effects of NaesowhajungtongGamibang on serum $interferon{\gamma}$, interleukin-4, interleukin-5, of 19 patients with atopic dermatitis. Materials & Methods: The subjects are consisted of 19 patients with atopic dermatitis, and had been treated with NaesowhajungtongGamibang decoction for 45 days. Serum $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-4, IL-5 level were checked before and 45 days after treatments. Results: The serum $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-5, level in patients with atopic dermatitis were slightly decreased compared with normal control group, but had no statistical significance. The serum IL-4, level in patients with atopic dermatitis was slightly increased compared with normal control group, but had no statistical significance. After treatment with NaesowhajungtongGamibang for 45 days, serum $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-5, level were increased, but had no statistical significance. After treatment with NaesowhajungtongGamibang for 45 days, serum IL-4 level were decreased, but had no statistical significance. Conclusion: This study shows that NaesowhajungtongGamibang decoction had effects were not correspond with Th1/Th2 inbalance hypothesis. Therefore study for other mechanism of NaesowhajungtongGamibang on atopic dermatitis is required.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.823-830
• /
• 2023

Lactococcus lactis is a lactic acid bacterium and used in the dairy food industry. The ameliorating effects of Lactobacillus species on atopic dermatitis (AD) have been extensively studied, but the specific effect of L. lactis strains has not yet been investigated. In this study, the efficacy of L. lactis LB 1022, isolated from natural cheese, was evaluated using RAW 264.7, HMC-1 and HaCaT cell lines and an ovalbumin-sensitized AD mouse model. L. lactis LB 1022 exhibited nitric oxide suppression and anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Oral administration of L. lactis LB 1022 to AD mice significantly reduced the levels of IgE, mast cells, and eosinophils, and a range of T cell-mediated T helper Th1, Th2, and Th17-type cytokines under interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). In addition, L. lactis LB 1022 treatment increased the concentration of short-chain fatty acids. Overall, L. lactis LB 1022 significantly modulated AD-like symptoms by altering metabolites and the immune response, illustrating its potential as candidate for use in functional food supplements to alleviate AD.