• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2001

In the view of oriental medicine, the liver is the general of the army in its function of protecting against the enemy. So this concept is very closely associated to the immunological function. Its relations with immunological function are as follows. 1. The liver produces most of the proteins and converts them with hepatocytes, composes 80% in total reticuloendothelial system with Kuffer cells & endothelial cells and has typical structure of sinusoidal vessels closely related with the blood system. 2. The liver plays an important role in innate immunity with Kuffer cells as well as with the molecules that the liver produces, related to complementary systems. 3. In the embryonic period, the liver is associated with immune associated cell growth and their maturation. After birth, it is associated with removing old red blood cells and with systematically modulating immune system through hormone metabolism. 4. The liver controls the autoimmune disease resulting from immune complex by removing molecules like immune complex. 5. In the processing of blood 19A from the digestive system, the liver has an important role in protecting the body from unnecessary immune responses. 6. In the oriental medical view, liver plays a major role in the immune function by storing blood and dispersing stagnated hepatoqi with the help of the kidneys and spleen.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2015

Interactions between microbes and epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal tract are closely associated with regulation of intestinal mucosal immune responses. Recent studies have highlighted the modulation of mucosal immunity by microbe-derived molecules such as ATP and short-chain fatty acids. In this study, we undertook to characterize the expression of the ATP-gated $P2X_7$ receptor ($P2X_7R$) on M cells and its role in gastrointestinal mucosal immune regulation because it was poorly characterized in Peyer's patches, although purinergic signaling via $P2X_7R$ and luminal ATP have been considered to play an important role in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we present the first report on the expression of $P2X_7R$ on M cells and characterize the role of $P2X_7R$ in immune enhancement by ATP or LL-37.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-24
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• 2022

The aim of this study was to identify the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), its prognostic significance, and correlation between ZEB1 and infiltrating immune cells in lung cancer. Correlation between ZEB1 and telomerase was also analyzed in different types of cancers. RNA sequencing analysis and survival rates of patients were confirmed by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The Kaplan-Meier plotter and PrognoScan databases were used to analyze the prognostic value of ZEB1 in various cancers. The Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) was used to determine the correlation between ZEB1 and infiltrating immune cells. Lower ZEB1 expression was lower in lung cancer and was related to poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). ZEB1 expression exhibited a significantly positive correlation with infiltration levels of immune cells in LUAD and lung squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, we found that the ZEB1 expression correlated with subunits of telomerase. Our findings suggest ZEB1 as a potential biomarker to be used for prognostic significance and tumor immunology in lung cancer. The correlation between the expression of ZEB1 and telomere-related gene will help in understand the cancer-promoting mechanisms.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2015

4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (dapsone) is a sulfone drug that has antibacterial effects on a variety of bacteria, especially Mycobacterium leprae; thus, it has been used to treat leprosy. Previous studies demonstrated that dapsone inhibits integrin-mediated adherence of neutrophils and production of prostaglandin $E_2$ by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Hence, dapsone may act in immune cells and regulate cell-mediated inflammation processes. However, its anti-inflammatory effects remain unclear. The present study demonstrated that dapsone modulates the production of inflammation-related cytokines in immune cells. We employed the spleen cells of mice, which are major immune cells, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a causative agent of inflammation for experiments. Dapsone induced a proportional change in splenocyte subsets and the apoptosis of spleen cells. Interestingly, dapsone decreased the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10, but not IL-6, in LPS-treated spleen cells. In other assays, we measured the dapsone-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of activation markers of spleen cells. Dapsone decreased NO production in LPS-treated spleen cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that dapsone has anti-inflammatory effects in immune cells and provide new insight into the potential uses of this agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.697-703
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• 2022

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in immune enhancement is increasing. Although the immune-enhancing activity of plants of the genus Hibiscus has been reported, there is no study on the immune-enhancing activity of H. syriacus. Thus, in this study, we investigated the immune-enhancing activity of Hibiscus syriacus leaves (HSL) in mouse macrophages, RAW264.7 cells, and immunosuppressed mice. HSL increased the production of immunostimulatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and activated the phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. The HSL-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors was dependent on toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in RAW264.7 cells. In the immunosuppressed mouse model, HSL increased the spleen index, the levels of the cytokines, and the numbers of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. Taken together, HSL may be considered to have immune-enhancing activity and be expected to be used as a potential immune-enhancing agent.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.92-92
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• 2022

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in immune enhancement is increasing. Although the immune-enhancing activity of plants of the genus Hibiscus has been reported, there is no study on the immune-enhancing activity of H. syriacus. Thus, in this study, we investigated the immune-enhancing activity of Hibiscus syriacus leaves (HSL) in mouse macrophages, RAW264.7 cells, and immunosuppressed mice. HSL increased the production of immunostimulatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and activated the phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. The HSL-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors was dependent on toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in RAW264.7 cells. In the immunosuppressed mouse model, HSL increased the spleen index, the levels of the cytokines, and the numbers of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. Taken together, HSL may be considered to have immune-enhancing activity and be expected to be used as a potential immune-enhancing agent.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2015

The immune system is specifically sensitive to oxidative stress induced by ionizing radiation because of its rapid proliferative activity. For this reason, an instructive immune system is one of the best ways to minimize side effects, such immunodeficiency, of gamma radiation. Over the past few decades, several natural plants with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties have been identified as adjuncts for nontoxic and successful radiotherapy. Hizikia fusiforme extract (HFE) containing plentiful dietary fiber and fucoidan is known for its instructive antioxidant capacity, immunomodulation abilities, and immune activation. In this study, we determined whether HFE protects radiosensitive immune cells from gamma radiation-induced damage. C57BL/6 mice were irradiated with gamma-ray. The effect of HFE on the ionizing radiation damage of immune cells was then evaluated with an MTT assay, 3H-thymidine incorporation assay, and PI staining. We found that HFE stimulated the proliferation of gamma-ray irradiated immune cells without cytotoxic effects. We also observed that HFE not only decreased DNA damage but also reduced gamma radiation-induced apoptosis of the immune cells. Our results suggest that HFE can protect immune cells from gamma-ray damage and may serve as an effective, non-toxic radioprotective agent.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.123-127
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• 2014

Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a cytokine inducing crucial inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}(TNF{\alpha})$ and IL-6 and its expression is elevated in various inflammatory autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, as well as viral infections. IL-32 gene was first cloned from activated T cells, however IL-32 expression was also found in other immune cells and non-immune cells. IL-32 gene was identified in most mammals except rodents. It is transcribed as multiple-spliced variants in the absence of a specific activity of each isoform. IL-32 has been studied mostly in clinical fields such as infection, autoimmune, cancer, vascular disease, and pulmonary diseases. It is difficult to investigate the precise role of IL-32 in vivo due to the absence of IL-32 gene in mouse. The lack of mouse IL-32 gene restricts in vivo studies and restrains further development of IL-32 research in clinical applications although IL-32 new cytokine getting a spotlight as an immune regulatory molecule processing important roles in autoimmune, infection, and cancer. In this review, we discuss the regulation and function of IL-32 in inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.705-716
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• 2018

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a critical organelle for protein synthesis, folding and modification, and lipid synthesis and calcium storage. Dysregulation of ER functions leads to the accumulation of misfolded- or unfolded-protein in the ER lumen, and this triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR), which restores ER homeostasis. The UPR is characterized by three distinct downstream signaling pathways that promote cell survival or apoptosis depending on the stressor, the intensity and duration of ER stress, and the cell type. Mammalian cells express the UPR transducers IRE1, PERK, and ATF6, which control transcriptional and translational responses to ER stress. Direct links between ER stress and immune responses are also evident, but the mechanisms by which UPR signaling cascades are coordinated with immunity remain unclear. This review discusses recent investigations of the roles of ER stress in immune responses that lead to differentiation, maturation, and cytokine expression in immune cells. Further understanding of how ER stress contributes to the pathogenesis of immune disorders will facilitate the development of novel therapies that target UPR pathways.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.227-234
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• 2013

The intestinal immune system has an ability to distinguish between the microbiota and pathogenic bacteria, and then activate pro-inflammatory pathways against pathogens for host defense while remaining unresponsive to the microbiota and dietary antigens. In the intestine, abnormal activation of innate immunity causes development of several inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Thus, activity of innate immunity is finely regulated in the intestine. To date, multiple innate immune cells have been shown to maintain gut homeostasis by preventing inadequate adaptive immune responses in the murine intestine. Additionally, several innate immune subsets, which promote Th1 and Th17 responses and are implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD, have recently been identified in the human intestinal mucosa. The demonstration of both murine and human intestinal innate immune subsets contributing to regulation of adaptive immunity emphasizes the conserved innate immune functions across species and might promote development of the intestinal innate immunity-based clinical therapy.