• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2005

In South America, natural products with unknown drug effects are used as folk remedies and for preventive medicine. Among South American natural products, we directed our attention to Propolis, which have been known as medicinal plants, and examined the mechanisms by which these substances affect antioxidant activity, anti-tumor activity and immunoresponse. When the antioxidant activities of Propolis were examined by the DPPH and Rhoudan iron methods, since Propolis contains high levels of flavonoids, it is thought that flavonoids may be responsible for the antioxidant activity in this study. In the examination of immunoenhancement activity, we measured lymphocyte versus polymorphonuclear leukocyte ratios (L/P activity). The number of lymphocytes was significantly increased in groups treated with Proplolis. Specifically, slightly high levels of $IFN-{\gamma}$ were measured in mice bearing the S-180 carcinoma, after administration of Propolis. This strongly suggests that cellular immunity is especially activated by treatment with Propolis, because production of $IFN-{\alpha}$ is limited to the T cells and NK cells stimulated by mitogen and sensitized antigen. $TNF-{\alpha}$ shows a different extent and mechanism of action depending on the target cells. When $TNF-{\alpha}$ was measured in mice bearing the S-180 carcinoma, mice treated with Propolis showed slightly higher $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels as compared to the control group. This suggests that activated macrophages produce $TNF-{\alpha}$ in mice treated with Prapolis, since activated macrophages and lymphocytes are the source of most $TNF-{\alpha}$. When anti-tumor action was examined using two kinds of sarcoma (Ehrlich solid carcinoma and Sarcoma-180 carcinoma), tumor-suppressive ratios after treatment with Propolis was 29.1%. When Sarcoma-180 solid carcinoma was used, tumor-suppressive ratios were 62%. Thus, Propolis showed strong anti-tumor activity against two kinds of solid carcinoma. Taken altogether, this strongly suggests that Propolis enhances original functions of macrophages and NK cells, and as a result, secondarily enhances the immune reaction and suppresses tumor growth.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.229-240
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• 1999

Background: The impact of the immune response on cancer gene therapy using viral vectors to deliver a "suicide gene" is currently unclear. A vigrous immune response targeted at viral proteins or transgene may enhance the efficacy of tumor destruction and even augment responses to tumor antigens. These responses may involve the release of cytokines and stimulation of tumor specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes that enhance therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, a vigorous rapid cellular immune response may destroy cells expressing the therapeutic gene and attenuate the response to therapy. Furthermore, development of neutralizing antibody responses may prevent readministration of virus, a potentially significant limitation. Evaluating the significance of these limitations in animal models and developing solutions are therefore of obvious importance. Methods: After retroviral transduction of mouse mesothelioma cell line(AB12) with Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene in vitro, subcutaneous flank tumors were established. To study the effect of intact immune system on efficacy of tumor erradication, the ability of the HSVtk/ganciclovir system to inhibit tumor growth was compared among normal Balb/c mice, immunodeficient Balb/c-nude and SCID mice, and Balb/c mice immunosuppressed with cyclosporin. Results: Ganciclovir treatment resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth in Balb/c mice compared with immunodeficient Balb/c-nude mice and SCID mice(in immunodeficient mice, there were no growth inhibition by ganciclovir treatment). Ganciclovir treatment resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth in noncyclosporin (CSA) treated Balb/c mice compared with CSA treated Balb/c mice. On day 8, mean ganciclovir-treated tumor volume were 65% of control tumor volume in Balb/c mice versus 77% control tumor volume in CSA-treated Balb/c mice. This effect was still evident during therapy (day 11 and 13). On day 13, non-CSA treated tumor volume was 35% of control tumor volume versus 60% of control tumor volume in CSA treated Balb/c mice. Duration of expression of HSVtk was not affected by the immunosuppression with CSA. Conclusion: These results indicate that the immune responses against retrovirally transduced cells enhance the efficacy of the HSVtk/ganciclovir system. These findings have important implications for clinical trials using currently available retrovirus vectors as well as for future vector design.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 1988

A pathogenic free-living amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, is a causative protozoan parasite of primary amebic meningoencephalitis in human and experimental animals. It is known that humoral and cellular immunity contribute as the defence mechanism of host against this organism. Recently splenectomy has been argued on its effect on host defence mechanisms. The present study was aimed to observe the enact of immunization in splenectomized mice. For immunization, $5~10{\times}10^5$ trophozoites of Naegleria fewleri o 359 were intraperitoneally inoculated once a week for two weeks to BALB/c mice, and $5~10{\times}10^4$ of ameba trophozoites were intranasally inoculated for infection after splenectomy and/or immunization. ELISA technique was applied for the detection of seum IgG antibody levels. Experimental animals were divided into 4 groups; I. splenectomized and immuniEed; ll. splenectomized only; III. immunized only; IV. not splenectomized nor immunized. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Mortality rates of splenectomized and immunized mice in group I (38.1%) and immunized only in group III (25.0%) were lower than those of not immunized mice in group II (50%) and control group, IV (46.4%). 2. Survival times of mice in group I, II, III and IV were $20.1{\pm}3.6$, $17.3{\pm}4.5$, $20.4{\pm}7.0$ and $19.6{\pm}7.6$ days respectively, and there were no significant differences between them. 3. ELISA values (absorbance at 492nm) of group I (1, $10{\pm}0.29$) and group III ($1.31{\pm}0.28$) were significantly higher than that of group IV($0.24{\pm}0.37$) at day 31 of infection (p<0.05). Conclusively, it is presumed that humoral immunity against N. fowleri may operate as ever, after immunization, even though the mouse was splenectomized.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.707-714
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• 2008

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan on growth performance, immunity and endocrine responses of weanling piglets. One hundred and eighty weanling piglets (Landrace$\times$Large White, $7.20{\pm}0.25kg$ BW and $28{\pm}2$ d of age) were randomly fed 1 of 5 treatment diets containing dietary ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan supplemented at 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg for 4 wks. Each treatment was replicated in 6 pens containing 6 pigs per pen. On d 14 and 28, body weight gain, feed consumption and feed efficiency were recorded as measures of growth performance. Peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation and serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) were measured to study the effect of dietary ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation on immune function. Plasma prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), growth hormone (GH) and ghrelin were measured to investigate endocrine response to ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation. Our results suggest that average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency had a quadratic increase trend with dietary ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation from d 14 to 28, whereas it had no significant effect on average daily feed intake (ADFI). The treatment group fed with 50 mg/kg dietary ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan supplementation showed a numerical increase in ghrelin, a similar change trend with ADG and no significant effect on GH. Lymphocyte proliferation indices, serum IgG and plasma PGE2 concentrations varied linearly with dietary supplementation levels of ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan on d 14. Higher levels of ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan may have a transient immuno-enhancing effect on the cellular and humoral immune function of weanling piglets via decreased PGE2. Taking into account both immune response and growth performance, the most suitable dietary supplementation level of ${\beta}$-1,3/1,6-glucan is 50 mg/kg for weanling piglets.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2016

In this study, the effects of fermented goat milk (F-GM) on immunological activity and physical strength were examined. Splenocytes obtained from mice administered with F-GM showed increased responsinveness to mitogens, concanavalin-A (ConA), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Treatment with F-GM also significantly augmented production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, but not IL-4 or IL-10 from ConA-stimulated splenocytes. The activity of F-GM administration to enhance production of IL-2 and IFN-${\gamma}$ was confirmed based on mRNA expression of these cytokines by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. After immunization with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH, 20 mg/mouse), mice administered F-GM showed significantly higher antibody titers against KLH than those of phosphate-buffered saline-treated mice, and showed the highest titer 5 weeks after KLH immunization. Analysis for determining isotypes of antibodies revealed that administration of F-GM elicited KLH-specific antibody titers of IgG1, IgG2a, and IgM. In a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) test carried out 7 weeks after the primary immunization, F-GM-treated mice showed a higher DTH reaction than the control mice. Furthermore, the swimming test found that administration of F-GM significantly increased swimming time. These results suggest that administration of F-GM enhances not only immune responses against antigens but also physical strength.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-489
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• 2010

Introduction: TLR-5, a member of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family, is a element of the type I transmembrane receptors, which are characterized by an intracellular signaling domain homolog to the interleukin-1 receptor. These receptors recognize microbial components, particularly bacterial flagellin. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA, tretinoin), a natural metabolite of vitamin A, acts as a growth and differentiation factor in many tissues, and is also needed for immune functions. In this study, THP-1 human macrophage-monocytes were used to examine the mechanisms by which atRA regulated the expression of TLR-5. Because the molecular mechanism underlying this regulation at the transcriptional level is also unclear, this study examined which putative transcription factors are responsible for TLR-5 expression by atRA in immune cells. Materials and Methods: This study examined whether atRA induces the expression of TLR-5 in THP-1 cells using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and which transcription factors are involved in regulating the TLR-5 promoter in RAW264.7 cells using a reporter assay system. Western blot analysis was used to determine which signal pathway is involved in the expression of TLR-5 in atRA-treated THP-1 cells. Results: atRA at a concentration of 10 nM greatly induced the expression of TLR-5 in THP-1 cells. Human TLR-5 promoter contains three Sp-1/GC binding sites around -50 bp and two NF-kB binding sites at -380 bp and -160 bp from the transcriptional start site of the TLR-5 gene. Sp-1/GC is primarily responsible for the constitutive TLR-5 expression, and may also contribute to NF-kB at -160 bp to induce TLR-5 after atRA stimulation in THP-1 cells. The role of NF-kB in TLR-5 expression was further confirmed by inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) experiments, which greatly reduced the TLR-5 transcription by 70-80%. Conclusion: atRA induces the expression of the human TLR-5 gene and NF-kB is a critical transcription factor for the atRA-induced expression of TLR-5. Accordingly, it is conceivable that retinoids are required for adequate innate and adaptive immune responses to agents of infectious diseases. atRA and various synthetic retinoids have been used therapeutically in human diseases, such as leukemia and other cancers due to the antiproliferative and apoptosis inducing effects of retinoids. Therefore, understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of TLR-5 may assist in the design of alternative strategies for the treatment of infectious diseases, leukemia and cancers.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2008

The present study was designed to explore the immunotoxic effects of orally administered aluminum (AI) on pregnant rats (n = 60) and their growing fetuses and consequently on the animal wealth. The animals were randomly allocated into three equal groups of 20 rats each. The first group has no treatment and kept as a control (G1). The second and third groups of pregnant rats were treated orally with aluminum chloride at 345 mg/Kg b.wt. The second group (G2) received the tested compound from the $6^{th}$ day of gestation to the end of weaning, whereas the third group (G3) received the tested compound from the $15^{th}$h day of gestation to the end of weaning. Control and treated animals (dams and offspring) were immunized ip with (0.5 ml) 20% sheep red blood cell (SRBC) suspension seven days before the end of experiments. At the end of exposure, ten dams and ten offspring from each group were used for assessment of cell-mediated immunity and a similar number of animals were sacrificed for evaluating the humoral immune response and serum protein profile. Aluminum chloride exposure of dams ($G_2&G_3$) caused significant suppression of both cell mediated and humoral immune responses in the obtained offsprings compared to the control group ($G_1$) without any significant effect on the immune responses of these dams. Moreover, the serum total globulins, albumin/ globulin (A/G) ratio and gamma globulin fraction were significantly decreased in the treated dam's offsprings compared to the corresponding controls while the serum total protein and all serum protein fractions showed non significant difference between the control and treated dams and between the two treated dam groups themselves. There were no histopathological changes observed in thymus, spleen and liver of the control and treated dams. Thymus of treated dam's offsprings (G2) showed lymphoid depletion in both cortex and medulla. Their spleens showed lymphoid depletion in the white pulps and congestion with hemosiderosis in the red pulps. Liver of treated dam's offsprings showed dilation and congestion of its central vein with degenerative changes in the hepatocytes. These histopathological changes were more severe in G2 than in G3 offsprings. It can be concluded that gestational and/ or lactation exposure of pregnant dams to AI chloride caused suppression of both cellular and humoral immune responses of their offsprings.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to identify binding properties of germanium (Ge) in Germanium-fortified Yeast using optimum manufacturing process. The ratio of yeast cell and germanium solution was 1 : 0.5 (50%), and pH 6.5, $35^{\circ}C$ and 20 h during fermentation, and Germanium-fortified Yeast produced. In results of the XRD, NMR and FT-IR analysis, it was different adding inorganic Ge $(GeO_2)$ during fermentation process from transformed into germanium in Germanium-fortified Yeast. And germanium concentration was not shown any difference before and after in the dialysis test with SGF (simulated gastric fluids). Therefore, Germanium-fortified Yeast of Geranti made by using biosynthetic technology was considered that transformed into organic properties during fermentation process. And, this result showed that Germanium-fortified Yeast was not dissociated under SGF (simulated gastric fluids) condition because of its structural binding safety. Thus, Germanium-fortified Yeast was transformed into organic germanium during biosynthetic cultivation. It is expected that this Germanium-fortified Yeast can be applied as a new dietary functional materials for cellular immunity, recovery of injured cells and immune system, and possible anticancer activities by activation immune cells like macrophage.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.246-251
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to evaluate an efficacy about activation on macrophage, using model that measured cell viability, nitric oxide (NO), iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) expression and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) on Raw 264.7 cells following treatment of Germanium-fortified Yeast in 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, $200\;{\mu}g/ml$ and the same concentration of dried yeast without germanium. Cell viability (%) and NO produced in activated-macrophage were dose-dependant, a significant increase of the cell viability (132.5%) and NO in $10\;{\mu}g/ml$ (p < 0.05). Increase in iNOS level was in $10\;{\mu}g/ml$. $TNF-{\alpha}$ was produced dose-dependant, e.g. in activated-macrophage with a significant increase of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ in 5 and $10\;{\mu}g/ml$ (p < 0.05). Therefore, Germanium-fortified Yeast had an efficacy of NO mediated iNOS and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production by activated macrophage. This result showed that Germanium-fortified Yeast induced activation of cellular immunity, returned to normalcy on injured immune system and procured anticancer system by activation of macrophage, which was important in immune and anticancer function.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-27
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• 1997

This study was performed to investigate the effects of Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong on the viability of tumor cells in vitro(MTT assay), on antitumor effects after Sarcoma-180 cells transplantation into the peritoneal cavity or left groin, and on decreased immune responses in mice induced by methotrexate. The extracts of its herbal medicines were orally administered for 14 or 21 days. To evaluate the effects of the Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong many items such as 50% inhibitory concentration($IC_{50}$), mean survival days, tumor and body weight for antitumor effects, and delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin titer, hemolysin titer, rosette forming cells, natural killer cell activity, lymphocyte transformation, productivity of interleukin-2 and phagocytic activity for immune responses were measured in ICR mice. The results were obtained as follows; 1. $IC_{50}$ of Eunwhasagantang treated group was 0.000204mg/ml on SNU-396 and that of Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was 0.000103mg／ml on SNU-1, those results indicate that the medicine has high antitumor activity. 2. Mean survival times in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated groups were slightly increased with no significance, as compared with the control group. 3. Tumor weight in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was depressed, as compared with the control group(p<0.01). 4. Body weight in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was significantly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.05). 5. Delayed type hypersensitivity in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantang-ganokyong treated group was slightly decreased with no significance, as compared with the control group. 6. Hemagglutinin titer in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was slightly increased with no significance, as compared with the control group. 7. Hemolysin titer only in Eunwhasagantang treated group was significantly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.01). 8. Rosette forming cells only in Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was slightly increased with no significance, as compared with the control group. 9. In the NK cell activity, the ratio of effector cells and target cells of the Eunwhasagantang treated group was significantly increased(p<0.01) in case which the ratio was 100: 1, and that of the Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was significantly increased(P<.01, p<0.05) in case which the ratio was 100:1, 50:1, as compared with the control group. 10. Lymphocyte trasnformation in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was significantly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.01). 11. Interleukin-2 in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was significantly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.05, p<0.01). 12. Phagocytic activity in Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong treated group was significantly increased, as compared with the control group(p<0.05). According to the above results, it could be suggested that Eunwhasagantang and Eunwhasagantangganokyong have prominent antitumor effects, and enhance both cellular and humoral immunity.