• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.681-693
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• 2007

Background and Objective : Atractylodes japonica (AJ) is a commonly-used herbal medicine in Asian countries such as Korea, China and Japan. The present study was designated to evaluate the direct effects of AJ on helper T cell activities and on Th1/Th2 lineage development in vitro. Materials and Methods : Spleen cells from 8-week BALB/c mice were cultured in CR extracts containing medium without activation for 24 hours and with activation for 48 hours. CD4+ T cells were isolated and analyzed for mRNA expression levels of INF-$\gamma$, IL-4, T-bet and GATA-3 by RT-PCR and secretion cytokines levels of INF-$\gamma$, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 by ELISA. Results : The results demonstrated that AJ had no mitogenic effects on unstimulated CD4+ T cells, but augmented CD4+T-cell proliferation upon activation with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibodies in a dose-dependent manner. AJ treatment significantly increased CD4+ T cell population and IFN-$\gamma$ expression was significantly enhanced, while IL-4 expression significantly decreased. In addition, in vitro Th1/Th2 polarization experiments revealed that AJ enhanced IFN-$\gamma$ secretion in Th1 cells, but reduced the IL-4 in Th2 cells in dose-dependent manner. Conclusion : These results suggest that AJ treatment could be a desirable alternative therapy for the prevention or correction of Th2 dominant pathological disorders, such as allergy and asthma.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.891-901
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-asthmatic effect of alismatis rhizoma and alisol acetate B combination therapy in a murine asthma model. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were sensitized to and challenged with a mixture of ragweed, dust mite, and aspergillus to induce an asthma animal model. Alismatis rhizoma extract and alisol acetate B combination therapy was co-administered only in the experimental group. To evaluate the anti-asthmatic effect of the combination therapy, inflammatory cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were determined, and tissue was examined histologically with hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stains, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of IgE, IL-4, and IL-5, and with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of IL-5, IL-33, MUC5AC. Results: Alismatis rhizoma and alisol acetate B combination therapy reduced the number of inflammatory cells, alleviated histologic features, and down-regulated all the investigated asthma mediators, IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-33, and MUC5AC. Conclusions: According to the above results, alismatis rhizoma and alisol acetate B combination therapy may have therapeutic potential for asthma.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.7-20
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of this study wasto examine the effects of Kamijihwang-tang (KJHT) extracts on immune cells and cytokines in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic mice. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were injected, inhaled and sprayed with OVA for 12 weeks (four times a week) for asthma induction. Two experimental groups were treated with different concentrations of KJHT (400 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) extracts and cyclosporine A (10 mg/kg) for the later 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the mice lung, PLN and spleen were removed and immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometer, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$ were analyzed by real-time PCR, serum histamine was analyzed by ELISA kit. Results: $CD3^+$, $CD3e^-/CCR3^+$, $CD3e^+/CD69^+$, $CD4^+/CD25^+$, $B220^+/IgE^+$, and $CD3e^+/DX5^+$ cells in lung, PLN, and spleen of the KJHT group (400 mg/kg) decreased compared with that of the control group. $CD3e^+/CD69^+$, $CD4^+/CD25^+$, and $CD3e^+/DX5^+$ cells in lung, PLN, and spleen of the KJHT group (200 mg/kg), CD3+, $CD3e^-/CCR3^+$ cells in lung and PLN of the KJHT group (200 mg/kg) and $B220^+/IgE^+$ cells in lung and spleen of the KJHT group (200 mg/kg) decreased compared with that of the control group. mRNA expression of IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-2, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in lung tissue of the KJHT groups (400 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) decreased compared with that of the control group. Histamine in serum of the KJHT group (400 mg/kg) decreased compared with that of the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that KJHT can be utilized effectively in treating asthma because it significantly reduces inflammatory cells and cytokines.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1180-1184
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• 2006

The capsule that surrounds Yersinia pestis cells is composed of a protein-polysacchride complex; the purified protein component is fraction I (F1) antigen. We report the cloning of the cafl gene and its expression in Escherichia coli using the vector pETl02/D-TOPO and the F1-specific monoclonal antibody. The recombinant F1 (rF1) antigen had a molecular size of 17.5 kDa, which was identical to that of the F1 antigen produced by Y. pestis. Recombinant F1 protein was found to react to polyclonal antiserum to Y. pestis Fl. Recombinant F1 was purified by ProBond purification system and induced a protective immune response in BALB/c mice challenged with up to 10$^5$ virulent Y. pestis. Purified rF1 protein was used in an ELISA to evaluate the ability of a method to detect antibodies to Y. pestis in animal sera. These results strongly indicated that the rF1 protein is a suitable species-specific immunodiagnostic antigen and vaccine candidate.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.234-241
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• 2001

The C-terminal 393 bp region of the human interleukin-16 (IL-16) gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli along with mammalian cell lines. Recombinant IL-16 expressed from E. coli was 22 kDa on SDS-PAGE and showed 260% of chemoattractant activity at a concentration of $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$. HeLa, COS, and Neuro-2a cells were transduced by recombinant retrovirus vector pLNC/IL-16/IRES/TK and the intracellular and secreted amounts of IL-16 produced by HeLa/IL-16/TK, COS/IL-16/TK, and Neuro-2a/IL-16/TK cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HeLa/IL-16/TK $(1{\times}10^5)$ and COS/IL-16/TK $(1{\times}10^5)$ cells secreted 36.1 and 13.3 ng of IL-16 for 48 h, respectively. Forty-nine ng and 86.4 ng of IL-16 remained in the cell lysates of HeLa/IL-16/TK and COS/IL-16/TK. Intracellular and secreted amounts of IL-16 from Neuro-2a/IL-16/TK $(5{\times}10^5)$ cells during 24 h cultivation were 50 ng and 3.3 ng, respectively. Also, HeLa and COS cells wee stably transfected with mammalian expression vector pCRIII/IL-16. Both culture media and cell lysates prepared from HeLa/IL-16 cells and COS/IL-16 cells showed chemoattractant activity ranging from 190% to 460% as compared to the control experiment. Expression of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV0tk) gene in pLNC/IL-16/ IRES/TK bicistronic retroviral expression vector was verified by performing a genciclovir (GCV) sensitivity assay. Finally, IL-16 repressed Tat-transactivated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat (HIV-1 LTR) promoter activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.552-559
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• 2003

The FimH subunit of type 1-fimbriated Escherichiu coli (E. coli) has been determined as a major cause for urinary tract infections. Thus, to produce a possible vaccine antigen against urinary tract infections, the fimIH gene was genetically coupled to the ctxa2b gene and cloned into a pMAL-p2E expression vector. The chimeric construction of pMALfimH/ctxa2b was then transformed into E. coli K-12 TB1 and its nucleotide sequence was verified. A fusion protein, based on fusing adhesin to the cholera toxin subunit A2B (CTXA2B), was induced with 0.01 mM isopropyl-${\beta}-D-thiogalactoside$ (IPTG) for 4 h at $37^{\circ}C$ to yield a soluble fusion protein. The fusion protein was then purified by affinity chromatography. The expressed fusion protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting using antibodies to the maltose binding protein (MBP) or the cholera toxin subunit B (CTXB), plus the N-terminal amino acid sequence was also analyzed. The orderly-assembled fusion protein was confirmed by a modified $G_{Ml}-ganglioside$ ELISA, using antibodies to adhesin. The results indicated that the purified fusion protein was an adhesin/CTXA2B protein containing E. coli adhesin and the $G_{Ml}-ganglioside$ binding activity of CTXB. Accordingly, this adhesin/CTXA2B protein may be a potential antigen for oral immunization against uropathogenic E. coli.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2001

An experiment was conducted with twenty crossbred male lambs to assess the effect of cotton (Gossypium) seed meal (CSM) on blood constituents and immunity. Lambs were randomly assigned to a reference diet (30% deoiled peanut meal, DPNM) and four test diets containing 40% of either raw, 45 minutes cooked, 1% $Ca(OH)_2$ and iron (1 free gossy-pol, FG : 0.3 Fe) treated CSM (replacing approximately 50%, reference concentrate mixture). These isonitrogenous and isocaloric concentrate mixtures were fed to meet 80% of protein requirements (NRC, 1985) along with ad lib maize hay for 180 days. Blood was collected at 60, 120 and 180 days post feeding. The lambs were sensitized with Brucella abortus S99 antigen after 140 days and were subjected to ELISA and delayed type hypersensitivity. Blood haemoglobin, erythrocyte count, leucocyte count, total protein, total albumin, total globulin, urea, creatinine concentration and aspartate aminotransferase activity in lambs fed on raw or processed CSM were comparable to the values of reference lambs. The higher (p<0.01) blood glucose levels observed in CSM fed lambs at 60 days of feeding was latter reduced to the levels comparable with those on reference diet at 120 and 180 days of feeding. The alanine amino transferase activity was lower in lambs fed raw and cooked CSM containing diets at 120 and 180 days of feeding. A marginal increase in serum iron and alkaline posphatase activity was observed in iron treated group and raw CSM fed lambs, respectively. The humoral immune response and DTH reactivity was lower (p<0.05) in lambs fed raw CSM (consuming 302.83 mg FG/day). Cooking, $Ca(OH)_2$ and iron treatment of raw CSM showed a positive response in alleviating the suppression of immune response owing to the reduced consumption of FG by 40.19, 17.40% and 26.73%, respectively in these diets. The present study thus indicated that consumption of 40% raw CSM (302.83 mg FG/day) though did not affect majority of the haematological and blood biochemical parameters, but markedly suppressed the immune mechanism of lambs.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.57-57
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• 2001

Erythropoietin(EPO)는 혈액의 구성성분 중에서 적혈구 세포 증식에 중요한 기능을 한다고 알려져 있으며, 최근에는 암, 에이즈의 치료 등에도 효과가 있는 것으로 확인되고 있다. 따라서 본 연구팀은 지금까지 hEPO 유전자를 이용하여, 형질전환 돼지 "새롬이"의 생산에 성공한바 있다. 새롬이의 정액을 활용하여 인공수정을 실시 새롬이의 Fl를 24두 생산하였다. 이에 대하여 "형질전환 돼지의 계대번식시 유전자 전이효율에 관한 연구"라는 제목으로 발표 할 예정이며, 형질전환에 사용된 promoter가 WAP이므로, Fl이 임신, 분만을 하여야만 유즙을 통하여 hEPO물질을 생산할 수 있다. 따라서, Fl(♂)$\times$Fl(♀)의 교배에 의하여 5두가 임신, 분만을 하였으며, 이들 중 1두는 분만 후 21일에 폐사하였으며, 나머지는 현재 정상적으로 사육되고 있다. 이들 5두에 대하여 분만 후 유즙을 채취하여 유즙속에 EPO의 발현여부를 검토하였다. EPO-ELISA kit(medac)를 사용하여 분석결과, 유즙을 8,000배로 희석을 하여야만 Standard curve(1.25~160 mIU/$m\ell$)안에서 EPO의 단백질 발현을 검출할 수 있었다. 5두의 각각 농도는 28, 58, 17, 37, 27 IU/${\mu}\ell$ 였다. 또한 cDNA EPO와 genome EPO를 CHO 동물세포에서 생산하여 10배로 농축한 결과 5.5와 11 IU/${\mu}\ell$의 농도로 유즙과 비교하면 약 20~30배의 낮은 발현양을 나타내었으며, 또한 이러한 결과는 소변에서의 결과(1.1 IU/$m\ell$)보다는 약 30,000배 이상 높은 발현량을 화인 할 수 있었다. 현재, 이들 유즙 물질을 활용 빈혈 질환실험동물을 이용하여 생리활성을 검정, 체내에서 metabolic clearance rate(MCR)를 검토 중에 있다. 또한 F2의 자돈생산은 모돈 5두에서 총 25두가 생산되었는데, 이중 20두 약 80%가 EPO 유전자의 전환율을 나타내었다. 이상을 종합하면, 1) 돼지이용 생리활성물질(EPO)을 유즙에서 대량으로 생산할 수 있는 system의 활용가능성을 국내에서 처음으로 확인하였으며, 2) EPO에 있어서는 국제적으로도 형질전환 가축생산은 최초로 성공하였으며, 현재로서는 생산되어진 물질의 정제수준에 따라 활용가치가 결정되어 질 것으로 사료된다. 생리활성 물질을 생산할 수 있는 형질전환 돼지 생산의 성공은, 앞으로 형질전환 가축생산 뿐 만 아니라, 장기이식 및 복제돼지 생산의 활용 면에서의 응용가능성이 기대된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2020

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with intestinal immune imbalance and inflammatory response. Because dehydrolovastatin (DLVT), a derivative of lovastatin, has been recently shown to inhibit inflammation and relieve immune arthritis induced by chemical stimuli, we studied its effect and possible mechanism on UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium. The BALB/c mice were classified into six groups: normal control group, model group, DLVT high dose group, DLVT low dose group, salazosulfapyridine (SASP) group and lovastatin (LVT) group. The disease activity indices of UC and pathological changes were investigated. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in colon tissue and inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, and TNF-α in the serum were analyzed by ELISA, while the expression of NF-κB p65 protein in colon tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot. DLVT relieved the disease activity indices and pathological damage of the UC mice. Furthermore, DLVT significantly decreased MPO activity and improved the imbalance of inflammatory cytokines through inhibiting the expression of NF-κB p65. Meanwhile, the positive drug of SASP has a similar effect to DLVT, but the effect of DLVT in both decreasing IL-17, TNF-α, and increasing IL-10 was significantly stronger than that of SASP. These results suggest that DLVT may ameliorates the symptoms of UC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.280-287
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• 2015

Current influenza vaccines are produced in embryonated chicken eggs. However, egg-based vaccines have various problems. To address these problems, recombinant protein vaccines have been developed as new vaccine candidates. Unfortunately, recombinant proteins frequently encounter aggregation and low stability during their biogenesis. It has been previously demonstrated that recombinantly expressed proteins can be greatly stabilized with high solubility by fusing stabilizing peptide (SP) derived from the C-terminal acidic tail of human synuclein (ATS). To investigate whether SP fusion proteins can induce protective immunity in mice, we produced influenza HA and SP fusion protein using a baculovirus expression system. In in vitro tests, SP-fused recombinant HA1 (SP-rHA1) was shown to be more stable than recombinant HA1 (rHA1). Mice were immunized intramuscularly with baculovirus-expressed rHA1 protein or SP-rHA1 protein ($2{\mu}g/mouse$) formulated with aluminum hydroxide. Antibody responses were determined by ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition assay. We observed that SP-rHA1 immunization elicited HA-specific antibody responses that were comparable to rHA1 immunization. These results indicate that fusion of SP to rHA1 does not negatively affect the immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate. Therefore, it is possible to apply SP fusion technology to develop stable recombinant protein vaccines with high solubility.