• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.141-149
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• 2005

In order to investigate the immunomodulational effects of Lonicerae Caulis et Folium, the author measured cytokines production(IL-10, IL-12(P35), IL12(P40), $IFN-{\gamma}$) in mice splenocytes. The results were obtained as follows : 1. The water extract of Lonicerae Caulis et Folium significantly enhanced the gene expression of IL-12(P35), IL-12(P40), but reduced the gene expression of IL-10, $IFN-{\gamma}$. 2. In water fraction and ethyl acetate fraction, the gene expression of IL-12(P35), $IFN-{\gamma}$ was significantly increased and that of IL-12(P40), IL-10 was decreased. The above results demonstrate that Lonicerae Caulis et Folium has enhancing immune activity by upregulation of these cytokines. Therefore, if we make the relationship between these cytokines(IL-10, IL-12, $IFN-{\gamma}$) besides IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-8, $TGF-{\beta}$ and so on which concerned the immunopotentiation, the immunopotentiational mechanism of Lonicerae Caulis et Folium will be shown clearly.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2015

Controlling balance between T-helper type 1 (Th1) and T-helper type 2 (Th2) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the biological rhythm of Th1/Th2 and circumventing diseases caused by Th1/Th2 imbalance. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a Th2-type cytokine and often associated with hypersensitivity-related diseases such as atopic dermatitis and allergies when overexpressed. In this study, we have tried to elucidate the function of 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-3-acetyl-rac-glycerol (EC-18) as an essential modulator of Th1/Th2 balance. EC-18 has showed an inhibitory effect on the production of IL-4 in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR analysis has proved EC-18 affect the transcription of IL-4. By analyzing the phosphorylation status of Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), which is a transcriptional activator of IL-4 expression, we discovered that EC-18 induced the decrease of STAT6 activity in several stimulated cell lines, which was also showed in STAT6 reporter analysis. Co-treatment of EC-18 significantly weakened atopy-like phenotypes in mice treated with an allergen. Collectively, our results suggest that EC-18 is a potent Th2 modulating factor by regulating the transcription of IL-4 via STAT6 modulation, and could be developed for immune-modulatory therapeutics.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2020

Background: The classification of foot type can be commonly determined by the height of the media longitudinal arch. The normalized arch height (NAH) is defined as the ratio of navicular or instep heights to the foot length or instep length. Objects: This study investigated the relationships among foot characteristics, such as foot length (FL), instep length (IL), navicular height (NH), and instep height (IH), in Korean young adults. Also, the distribution of foot type based on calculated NAH was assessed. Methods: Three-dimensional foot scanning data of young adults aged 20 to 39 years (total: 1,978; 974 male, 1,004 female) were obtained from the Korea Technology Standards Institute, and used for analyses. NAH was calculated as the following: NH/FL, IH/FL, IH/IL, NH/IL. Spearman's rank order correlation was used to identify correlations among variables. The Mann-Whitney U-test and chi-square test were used to compare the sex differences in foot characteristics and distribution of foot type. Results: FL and IL showed a very high correlation (r = 0.94). The correlations between FL or IL and IH (r = 0.50-0.57) were greater than those between FL or IL and NH (r = 0.23-0.72). Males had significantly larger values than females (p < 0.001), and the frequency of pes planus was significantly higher in females than in males (χ² = 50.09, p < 0.001). Based on the IH/IL index, the neutral foot, pes planus and pes cavus distributed by 16%, 78%, and 6% respectively. Conclusion: Our results on foot arch distribution could be used as basic data in clinical or footwear fields, and our data on differences in arch structure according to sex may facilitate understanding of why injury to the lower limbs differs between males and females.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2004

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.27.1-27.14
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• 2024

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is formed by several immune cells. Notably, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are existed in the TME that induce angiogenesis, metastasis, and proliferation of cancer cells. Recently, a point-mutated variant of IL-32θ was discovered in breast cancer tissues, which suppressed migration and proliferation through intracellular pathways. Although the relationship between cancer and IL-32 has been previously studied, the effects of IL-32θ on TAMs remain elusive. Recombinant human IL-32θ (rhIL-32θ) was generated using an Escherichia coli expression system. To induce M0 macrophage polarization, THP-1 cells were stimulated with PMA. After PMA treatment, the cells were cultured with IL-4 and IL-13, or rhIL-32θ. The mRNA level of M1 macrophage markers (IL-1β, TNFα, inducible nitric oxide synthase) were increased by rhIL-32θ in M0 macrophages. On the other hand, the M2 macrophage markers (CCL17, CCL22, TGFβ, CD206) were decreased by rhIL-32θ in M2 macrophages. rhIL-32θ induced nuclear translocation of the NF-κB via regulation of the MAPK (p38) pathway. In conclusion, point-mutated rhIL-32θ induced the polarization to M1-like macrophages through the MAPK (p38) and NF-κB (p65/p50) pathways.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3561-3566
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• 2010

Interleukin 32 (IL-32) is a recently identified cytokine that induces major proinflammatory cytokines such as $TNF{\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$, which play an important role in chronic inflammatory diseases. To antagonize the biological function of IL-32 in cells, we generated RNA aptamers that could bind specifically to IL-32 protein. The highest affinity aptamer, AC3-3, successfully antagonized IL-32 by abolishing the induction of $TNF{\alpha}$ in the human lung carcinoma cells expressing IL-32. This aptamer could be used as a potent and selective antagonist against IL-32 to further elucidate the roles of IL-32 in chronic inflammatory diseases, as well as a therapeutic agent.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.817-819
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• 1994

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.640-646
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• 2017

Regulatory B cells, also well-known as IL-10-producing B cells, play a role in the suppression of inflammatory responses. However, the epigenetic modulation of regulatory B cells is largely unknown. Recent studies showed that the bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) protein inhibitor JQ1 controls the expression of various genes involving cell proliferation and cell cycle. However, the role of BET proteins on development of regulatory B cells is not reported. In this study, JQ1 potently suppressed IL-10 expression and secretion in murine splenic and peritoneal B cells. While bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) was associated with $NF-{\kappa}B$ on IL-10 promoter region by LPS stimulation, JQ1 interfered the interaction of BRD4 with $NF-{\kappa}B$ on IL-10 promoter. In summary, BRD4 is essential for toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated IL-10 expression, suggesting JQ1 could be a potential candidate in regulating IL-10-producing regulatory B cells in cancer.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.163-167
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• 2002

Purpose: Interleukin 1$\beta$ (IL-1$\beta$) polymorphisms are associated with hypochlorhydria, atrophic gastritis, and increased risk of gastric cancer in Caucasians. We tried to determine whether the IL-1.. and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 RN) genetic polymorphisms contribute to the development of gastric cancer and the specific type of gastritis in Korean. Materials and Methods: The study population was comprised of 128 gastric cancer patients with histologically proven carcinoma and 63 normal healthy individuals. Sixty-eight carcinomas were of intestinal-type and sixty tumors were of diffuse-type. No patient had a familial gastric cancer history. The 511 bp and 31 bp polymorphisms in the IL-1.. were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The polymorphism of the IL-1 RN was analyzed with variable number tandem repeat after PCR. Results: The genotype of 511C/-31T of IL-1$\beta$ and allele 1 of IL-1 RN was dominant in the present subjects. The allelic frequencies of the C allele IL-1$\beta$, which is a high risk genotype for gastric cancer, were 0.551 and 0.429 in gastric cancer and normal controls, respectively. Statistically, significant difference in allelic frequencies of three polymorphic sites between gastric cancer patients and normal controls, and between intestinal-type and diffuse-type was not observed. Conclusions: These results suggest that the polymorphisms of IL-1$\beta$ and IL-1 RN may not contribute to the development of Korean gastric caner and that other endogenous or exogenous factors will be important for gastric carcinogenesis.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.194-198
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• 2018

Inflammation is a biological response caused by overactivation of the immune system and is controlled by immune cells via a variety of cytokines. The overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines enhances abnormal host immunity, resulting in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. Inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-12p40, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ might be one way to treat these conditions. Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of compounds isolated from Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim., which is traditionally used as an antipyretic and analgesic in Korea. In primary cell culture assays, 12 compounds were found to inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12p40, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$) in vitro in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells stimulated with LPS.