• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1090-1099
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• 2007

Myristicin, l-allyl-3,4-methylenedioxy-5-methoxybenzene, was one of the major essential oils of nutmeg. However, its anti-allergic effect in the Th1/Th2 immune response was poorly understood. Recently, it was shown that T-bet and GATA-3 was master Th1 and Th2 regulatory transcription factors. In this study, we have attempted to determine whether myristicin regulates Th1/Th2 cytokine production, T-bet and GATA-3 gene expression in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice. Myristicin reduced levels of IL-4, Th2 cytokine production in OVA-sensitized and challenged mice. In the other side, it increased $IFN-{\gamma}$, Th1 cytokine production in myristicin administrated mice. We also examined to ascertain whether myristicin could influence eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) activity. After being sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) showed typical asthmatic reactions. These reactions included an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung tissue around blood vessels and airways, and the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). The administration of myristicin before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. Accordingly, these findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of myristicin in terms of its effects in a murine model of asthma.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.104-104
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• 2003

As an effort to direct differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES, MB03) cells to dopamine-producing neuronal cells, Nurr1 was transfected using conventional transfection protocol into MB03 and examined the expression of tyrosine hydroylase (TH) after differentiation induced by retinoic acid (RA) and ascorbic acid (AA). Experimentally, cells were transfected with linearized Nurr1 cDNA in pcDNA3.1 (+)-hygovernight followed by selection in medium containing hygromycin-B (150 $\mu$/ml). Expression of Nurr1 mRNA was confirmed by RT-PCR and protein by immunocytochemistry in the drug resistant clones. In order to study the effect of Nurr1 protein on the differentiation pattern of ES cells, one of the positive clones (MBNr24) was allowed to form embryoid body (EB) for 2 days and were induced to differentiate for another 4 days using RA (1 $\mu M$) and AA (50 mM) (2-/4+ protocol) followed by selection in N2 medium for 10 or 20 days. After 10 days in N2 medium, cells immunoreactive to anti-GFAP, anti-TH, or anti-NF200 antibodies were 38.8%, 11%, and 20.5%, respectively. After 20 days in N2 medium, cells expressing GFAP, TH, or NF200 were 28%, 15% and 44.8%, respectively but approximately 9% of MB03 expressed TH protein when the cells were induced to differentiate using a similar prorocol, These results suggest that ectopic expression of Nurr1 enhances generation of TH+ cells as well as neuronal cells when hES cells were differentiated by 2-/4+ protocol.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.79-79
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• 2003

Embryonic stem cells are capable of differentiating into a variety of cell lineages. However, the ultimate results of differentiation in vitro greatly depend on the duration of treatment and kinds of differentiating inducers added. In order to investigate the efficiencies of various differentiation inducers and the methods of treatment, we examined differentiation patterns of human embryonic stem cell (hESC, MB03) according to several different protocols. Exp. I) Upon differentiation using retinoic acid and ascorbic acid (RA/AA), embryoid bodies (EB, for 4days) derived from hESC was exposed to Rh (10$^{-6}$ M) and AA (50 mM) for 4 days, and were allowed to differentiate in N2 medium for 7, 14, 21, or 28 days. Exp. II) When bFGF was used, neuronal precursor cells were selected for 8 days in N2 medium after EB formation. After selection, cells were expanded at the presence of bFGF (20 ng/ml) for another 6 days followed by a final differentiation in N2 medium for 7, 14, 21 or 28 days. Exp. III) In addition, to examine the effects of neurotrophic factors in the production of mature neurons, groups of cells were exposed to either BDNF (5 ng/ml) or TGF-$\alpha$(10 ng/ml) during the 28 days of final differentiation. Differentiation patterns of RA/AA or bFGF treated groups were very similar; approximately 82% and 83% of the cells, respectively, were positive for anti-NF200 antibody, while it was about 10% and 11%, respectively, for anti-NF160 antibody in 28 days in N2 medium. Alsor, cells expressing TH were as low as 5%, while the cells doubled when matured at the presence of either BDNF or TGF-$\alpha$. Cells immunoreactive to anti-GAD antibody were approximately 20%. These results suggest that a maturation step rather than differentiation induction step, which is formation of EB, effects more decisively to the ultimate differentiation pattern.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.74-85
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• 2018

Objectives: HTD treatment is a traditional preventive therapy for neonatal inflammatory diseases such as AD. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of HTD treatments for the maintenance and formation of lipid barrier in Dermatophagoides farina-induced obese NC/Nga mice. Methods: 20 mg/kg of CRGR extracts as HTD treatments were orally administered to NC/Nga mice. To induce obesity, high fat diet was served. Dermatophagoides farina extracts was applied on the 4th-6th and 8th-10th weeks to induce AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice. Changes of skin conditions in mice were observed by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Results: The results showed that HTD treatments effectively maintained and formed the lipid barrier. In the experimental groups, restorations of Lass2 expression and distributions of filaggrin, involucrin, loricrin, ASM, and LXR means that HTD treatments maintained and generated the lipid barrier. In the dermal papillae, HTD treatments reduced PKC production accompanied by epidermis damage. Furthermore, levels of IL-4, and STAT6 was low. HTD treatment may be effective for preventing inflammation induced by Th2-skewed condition by suppressing the main pathway of Th2 differentiation. Conclusions: HTD treatment alleviated the inflammatory damage in the skin tissues of the NC/Nga mice by maintaining the lipid barrier and suppressing Th2 differentiation.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.67-75
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• 2020

Objectives This study is conducted to evaluate Th2 skewed condition control through skin fat barrier formation from the treatment using Coptidis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract. Methods The 6-week-old NC/Nga mice were divided into 4 groups: Control group (Ctrl), lipid barrier eliminate treatment group (LBET), Coptidis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhiza uralensis feeding treatment after lipid barrier elimination group (CGFT), dexamethasone feeding treatment after lipid barrier elimination group (DxFT). After 3 days, differences in skin condition, improvement of skin fat barrier, and control of Th2 skewed condition of each group were observed. Results Pathologic skin damage and tissue changes were less in the CGFT group than in the LBET and DxFT groups, and Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and pH were also significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The filaggrin intensity and positive response also increased significantly in the CGFT group (p < 0.05). Kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) 7, Protease activated receptor (PAR)-2, Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), Interleukin (IL)-4, and the products of the Th2 differentiation process also showed a significant decrease compared to the LBET and DxFT groups (all p < 0.05). Conclusions The Coptidis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract causes skin barrier recovery and function recovery through the formation of skin fat barrier. This leads to the conclusion that Coptidis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract can control Th2 differentiation through the formation of skin fat barrier.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.4.1-4.15
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• 2023

Th cells, which orchestrate immune responses to various pathogens, differentiate from naive CD4 T cells into several subsets that stimulate and regulate immune responses against various types of pathogens, as well as a variety of immune-related diseases. Decades of research have revealed that the fate decision processes are controlled by cytokines, cytokine receptor signaling, and master transcription factors that drive the differentiation programs. Since the Th1 and Th2 paradigm was proposed, many subsets have been added to the list. In this review, I will summarize these events, including the fate decision processes, subset functions, transcriptional regulation, metabolic regulation, and plasticity and heterogeneity. I will also introduce current topics of interest.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.76-80
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• 2005

The early gonadal development and sex differentiation of the mandarin fish, Siniperca scherzeri was described from hatch to the 130th day post-hatch (DPH). Primordial germ cells were observed on the just hatched fry (5.10 mm in total length (TL)) and began to protrude into the peritoneal cavity between mesonephric duct and gut. The primordial gonad, with the formation of genital ridge, developed on the 8-10th DPH (10.77-12.47 mm TL). Ovarian differentiation was identified by the presence of ovarian cavity and meiotic oocytes from the 40th DPH (29.75 mm TL). Testicular differentiation was identified by the presence of spermatogonial cells with efferent duct also from the 40th DPH. Sex differentiation of the mandarin fish was identified as gonochoristic type.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.131-144
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• 1997

The present study was carried out to investigate the processes of the ultrastructural differentiation and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities of the developing rat retina. The results are as follows. The retina of fetal rat on the 13th day of gestation showed the early stage of differentiation. Briefly, there appeared dividing chromosomes, the plentiful free ribosomes, and the high ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm. The reaction products by AChE were localized at the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum and on the outer membrane of nucleus. Ultrastructures and AChE activities in the retina of the fetal rats on the 18th day of gestation were similar to those of the prior stages, except the appearence of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. According to the ultrastructural observations, the rat retina was still in immature state at birth, but the pigment epithelial cells were fully differentiated, e. g. the increase of melanin granules, the development of mitochondria and Golgi apparatus. The AChE activity was weekly detected. The differentiated retinal layers and the outer segment of photoreceptor cells were observed on the 7th postnatal day. And the pigment epithelium appeared to be fully differentiated. On the 14th postnatal day, rat retina were completely differentiated. In other words, the rat retina was characterized by the prominent outer segments, phagocytosed residues in the pigment epithelium, and the localization of reaction products by AChE in the synapses. In conclusion, the differentiation of rat retina is charaterized by the changes of cell shape, the increase of retinal layers, and the alterations of AChE activities. It seems that rat retina is to be functional from 2 weeks of birth onward, coinciding with the eye opening of the juvenile rats.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.295-307
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• 1992

In order to study the differentiation of the epithelial cells during the development of fetal rat lung tissue, histological changeB in organotypic culture and in vivo were examined. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to analvre the histological change in rat lung from the 15th nary of gestation to the 111th nary after birth. In organotypic culture system, the pulmonary epithelial cell differentiation was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results obtained from this study were as follows. 1. During deveiopment of lung, the glandular stage lasted from the Isth day to the lsth naut of gestation; the canalicular stage from the 17th nay to the 19th naut of gestation; the saccuiar stage from 20th nary to the birth. Alveolar stage was observed at the 3rd nary of postnatal rat lung. 2. In organotvpic culture of fetal rat lung cells organized alveolar-like structures resembling those of in uiuo state were observed on the gelatin matrix. In contrast with in vivo state, fetal lung cells formed group of type ll pneumocytes predominently along the contours of the matrix. These cells have large apical surface, short microvilli and secreted materials which may be sunactant. These results suggested that an orsanotypic culture retaining epithelial- -mesenchvmal relationships is appropriate culture model to study the pulmonary epithelial cell (especially type ll pneumocvte) differentation.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.62-63
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• 2003

The commitment of T helper (Th) cells to Thl or Th2 cells is of crucial importance with respective to susceptibility or resistance to particular infections, or to autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases. The nature of Thl or Th2 polarizing signals is not yet fully understood. However, the cytokines that are present in the environment of the $CD4^{+}$ T cell at the time it encounters the antigen significantly regulate the differentiation of Th cells into either Thl or Th2 subsets. (omitted)