• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2008

Objectives : Socheongryong-Tang(小靑龍湯, SCRT), a herbal remedy, has been widely used to treat respiratory disease such as cough and asthma in Oriental countries. Recent years SCRT was known as anti-allergic agent. However, its therapeutic mechanisms including immunoglobuline such as IgE, IgG1, IgG2a productions are unclear. Methods : We investigated the effects of SCRT on levels of antigen specific total antibody, IgE, IgG1, IgG2a using ELISA method in serum from allergen-induced asthma mice. Results : SCRT decreased level of antigen specific IgE significantly. And SCRT treated mice showed downward tendency of IgG1, a Th1 relative antibody, level. But, SCRT did not affect levels of antigen specific total antibody and IgG2a, a Th1 relative antibody. Conclusions : we demonstrated the strong possibility of SCRT as a complementary or alternative drug to western drug also demonstrated that regulation of Th1/Th2 imbalance may be one of mechanism contributed to treatment for respiratory disease by SCRT.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.120-126
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• 2021

Intradermal skin test (IDST) is generally considered a useful tool in identifying causal allergens in canine atopic dermatitis. Currently, multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST), an in vitro testing method for allergen-specific immunoglobulin E, is being used as an alternative method. However, there are no reports comparing the IDST and MAST results in the same dogs. This study compared the results of both tests to evaluate the agreement and correlation between them. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the MAST were 76.2%, 64%, and 66.7%, respectively. Moderate positive predicted value (PPV, 50-75%) or high sensitivity (80-100%) were identified for indoor allergens, such as cat epithelia, house dust, and house dust mites. In contrast, high negative predicted value (NPV, 93.3-100%) and specificity (60-100%) were observed for environmental allergens and fungi. Although the agreement between IDST and MAST for all allergens was fair (κ = 0.301), that for each allergen was poor (κ < 0.01), except for birch (κ = 0.158). Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed a low correlation between the MAST and IDST results (ρ = 0.308, p = 0.001). As compared to the IDST results, the MAST results did not identify the causative allergens sufficiently. IDST may not be performed for environmental allergens and fungi with high NPV and specificity if the MAST result is negative, but it may have to be performed for indoor allergens with moderate PPV and high sensitivity when the MAST result is positive.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.631-640
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Coffee is a complex chemical mixture, with caffeine being the most well-known bioactive substance. The immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of coffee and caffeine impact health in various aspects, including the respiratory system. The objective is to investigate the effects of coffee and caffeine on airway hyperresponsiveness and allergic reactions, as well as to analyze and compare associated cytokine profiles. MATERIALS/METHODS: BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and given OVA inhalation to induce airway hypersensitivity. Two weeks after sensitization, they were intragastrically gavaged with coffee or caffeine, both containing 0.3125 mg caffeine, daily for 4 weeks. Control mice were fed with double-distilled water. Serum OVA-specific antibody levels were measured beforehand and 5 weeks after the first gavage. Airway hyperresponsiveness was detected by whole body plethysmography after gavage. Cytokine levels of bronchoalveolar lavage and cultured splenocytes were analyzed. RESULTS: Coffee effectively suppressed T helper 2-mediated specific antibody response. Airway responsiveness was reduced in mice treated with either coffee or caffeine. Compared to the control, coffee significantly reduced OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgG1 and IgE antibody responses (P < 0.05). Caffeine also attenuated specific IgG and IgG1 levels, though IgE level was unaffected. Coffee significantly reduced interleukin (IL)-4 and increased IL-10 concentration in spleen cells and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Coffee effectively attenuated airway hyperresponsiveness and systemic allergic responses induced by OVA food allergen in mice. As a complex composition of bioactive substances, coffee displayed enhanced immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects than caffeine.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.488-494
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• 2013

A food allergy is an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly upon exposure to a given food. In those with food allergies that are thought to cause aggravation of eczema, food avoidance is important. The objective of this study was to research the nutritional status of patients with food allergies. A total of 225 subjects diagnosed with atopic dermatitis underwent a skin prick test as well as measurement of serum immunoglobulin E. Food challenge tests were conducted using seven food items: milk, eggs, wheat, soybeans, beef, pork, and chicken. At post-food challenge visits to the test clinic, participants completed a three-day dietary record, which included two week days and one weekend day, in order to evaluate energy intake and diet quality during the challenge. We analyzed nutrient intake based on differential food allergens. Subjects with a food allergy to milk showed lower intake of Ca, Zn, and vitamin B2, and subjects with a food allergy to egg showed lower intake of vitamin A, B1, B2, niacin, and cholesterol. Subjects with a food allergy to wheat and soybean showed lower intake of Ca, P, Fe, K, Zn, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and niacin; and subjects with a food allergy to beef, pork, and chicken showed lower intake of Fe and higher intake of K, vitamin A, B2. Subjects with atopic dermatitis were lacking in several nutrients, including vitamin A and vitamin C. A greater number of food allergies showed an association with a greater number of nutrient intake deficiencies. Allergen avoidance is the basic treatment for atopic dermatitis. However, when the allergen is food, excessive restriction can lead to nutrition deficiency. Findings of this study suggest the necessity for enhanced nutritional education in order to provide substitute foods for patients with food allergies who practice food restriction.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.244-251
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• 2016

Understanding the developmental mechanisms of humoral immunity against intranasal antigens is essential for the development of therapeutic approaches against air-borne pathogens as well as allergen-induced pulmonary inflammation. Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells expressing CXCR5 are required for humoral immunity by providing IL-21 and ICOS costimulation to activated B cells. However, the regulation of Tfh cell responses against intranasal antigens remains unclear. Here, we found that the generation of Tfh cells and germinal center B cells in the bronchial lymph node against intranasal proteinase antigens was independent of $TGF-{\beta}$. In contrast, administration of STAT3 inhibitor STA-21 suppressed the generation of Tfh cells and germinal center B cells. Compared with wild-type OT-II T cells, STAT3-deficient OT-II T cells transferred into recipients lacking T cells not only showed significantly reduced frequency Tfh cells, but also induced diminished IgG as well as IgE specific for the intranasal antigens. Cotransfer study of wild-type OT-II and STAT3-deficient OT-II T cells revealed that the latter failed to differentiate into Tfh cells. These findings demonstrate that T cell-intrinsic STAT3 is required for the generation of Tfh cells to intranasal antigens and that targeting STAT3 might be an effective approach to ameliorate antibody-mediated pathology in the lung.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2013

Food allergy is defined as adverse reactions toward food mediated by aberrant immune mechanisms. Cow's milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in childhood. This allergy is normally outgrown in the first year of life, however 15% of allergic children remain allergic. Cow's milk allergy seem to be associated with casein (${\alpha}_{s1}$-CN), ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin and whey protein. In addition to this, many other milk proteins are antigenic and capable of inducing immune responses. Various food processing affects the stability, structure and intermolecular interactions of cow milk proteins, as a result reduction the allergenic capacity. Heating, hydrolysis, chemical, proteolytic and other processes such as gamma-ray irradiation, high pressure, using probiotics treatments of milk to obtain hypoallergenic milk have been developed to reduce allergic reactions.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.91-95
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• 2002

Background: In order to characterize human antibodies with specificity for mite allergens at the molecular level, a scFv phage display library was constructed using peripheral blood mononuclear lymphocytes from an asthma patient allergic to mite as Ig gene sources. Methods: Immunoglobulin $V_H$ and V gene fragments were obtained by polymerase chain reaction, and randomly combined in pCANTAB-5E vector. The resulting human scFv phage display library had $3{\times}10^4$ independent clones, and biopanning was performed with house dust mite extracts. Results: Four scFv clones specific for house dust mite extract were isolated. Immunoblot assay showed that our clones reacted to 25 kDa and 50~60 kDa proteins with unknown identity in mite extracts. Sequence analysis indicated that two clones (b7 and c15) are identical, and all clones belong to human $V_H3$ subgroup. On the other hand, light chain usage was different in that two clones (a2 and b7 / c15) belonging to V ${\kappa}4$ subgroup, but a4 used V ${\kappa}1$ light chain gene. Conclusion: Our approach should facilitate provision of useful information on the antibody responses against allergens at the molecular level in humans.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2002

This study was undertaken to develop a subacute murine model for predicting occurrence of systemic anaphylaxis and to evaluate efficacy of various immunological parameters as the monitoring indices for the occurrence of anaphyalxis. The murine anaphyalxis model was developed through intraperitoneally sensitizing 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$ ovalbumin (OVA) in the presence of 1 mg alum and 300 ng cholera toxin twice a week interval followed by challenging 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$. OVA intravenously. Typical anaphylaxis symptoms were demonstrated at the both BALB/c mice, a strain prone to type-2 response, and C57BL/6 mice. a strain prone to type-1 response. Level of plasma histamine was approximately 50-fold or 30-fold higher in the mice sensitized with OVA than the mice sensitized with alum plus cholera toxin or the saline-treated mice after OVA challenge, respectively. Sensitization and challenge with OVA significantly enhanced plasma leukotriene $B_4$ level but not IgE levels in comparison with the control mice, which indicated the role of leukotriene $B_4$ for progression of anaphyalxis. Furthermore, among mice suffered from anaphylaxis, levels of OVA-specific IgGl were significantly higher in the BALB/c mice than in the C57BL/6 mice, which implied the genetic susceptibility for the induction of systemic anaphylaxis. Conclusively, simultaneous evaluation of histamine, leukotriene $B_4$, and allergen-specific IgG isotype may serve as more efficient monitoring tool for vaccine-related anaphyalxis.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.151-164
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• 2006

Objective : The objective of this study is to analyze an increasing rate, difference of attack rate in age, relationship between atopic dermatitis and breast-feeding, the relationship between atopic dermatitis and the Sasang constitution, and various treatments of atopic dermatitis. Methods : This clinical study was carried out with 22 theses which are related with diagnosis, treatments, prognosis and control of atopic dermatitis. The 22 theses are carried on J Korean Oriental Pediatrics, J Korean Oriental Ophthalmology, J Korean Oriental Med, J Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease, J Korean Acad Fam Med and Korean J Food & Nutr. Results : The prevalence rate, attack rate and diagnosis rate of atopic dermatitis are increased in the year of 2000, compared with those of 1995. Comparing age of patient between the year of 1992 and 2002, the attack rate of atopic dermatitis is increased quickly over 7 years old. Specific immunoglobulin E(IgE) antibodies detected in patients under 1 year old was exclusively caused by food. But for the age over 7 years old, food and inhalant allergen are detected in the year of 2002 in compare with that of 1992. Because of breast-feeding, intemperate diet adjustment during the period of maternity of family history of atopic dermatitis, the attack rate of atopic dermatitis is increased in infant. The types of patients are categorized according to Sasang constitution and Soeumin group was largest. The Oriental medicine treatments of atopic dermatitis are bath & skin hydration, avoidance from antigen, dietetic treatment, external treatment, medication and phototherapy. Conclusion : The atopic dermatitis is associated with breast-feeding, Sasang constitution types. More active approach for the treatment and prevention of Atopic dermatitis in children are needed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2014

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of year-round respiratory viral infection in children with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and the relationship between respiratory viral infection and allergen sensitization in exacerbating asthma. Methods: We investigated the sources for acute LRTIs in children admitted to our hospital from May 2010 to April 2011. The 6 most common respiratory viruses were isolated from nasopharyngeal aspirate using multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 309 children; respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (AV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), influenza virus (IFV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), rhinovirus (RV). Atopic sensitization was defined if more than 1 serum specific Immunoglobulin E level measured using UniCAP (Pharmacia) was over 0.35 IU/mL. Results: RSV was the most common pathogen of bronchiolitis in hospitalized children through the year. RV or IFV infection was more prevalent in asthma exacerbations compared to other LRTIs. AV and hMPV were more likely to cause pneumonia. RV and IFV were associated with asthma exacerbations in children with atopic sensitization, but not in nonatopic children. Conclusion: RV and IFV are associated with hospitalization for asthma exacerbation in children with atopic sensitization.