• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2013

Methoxychlor (MXC) was developed to be a replacement for the banned pesticide DDT. HPTE [2,2-bis (p-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane], which is an in vivo metabolite of MXC, has strong oestrogenic and anti-androgenic effects. MXC and HPTE are thought to produce potentially adverse effects by acting through oestrogen and androgen receptors. Of the two, HPTE binds to sex-steroid receptors with greater affinity, and it inhibits testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells by inhibiting cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme activity and cholesterol utilisation. In a previous study, MXC was shown to induce Leydig cell apoptosis by decreasing testosterone concentrations. I focused on the effects of MXC on male mice that resulted from interactions with sex-steroid hormone receptors. Sex-steroid hormones affect other organs including the kidney and liver. Accordingly, I hypothesised that MXC can act through sex-steroid receptors to produce adverse effects on the testis, kidney and liver, and I designed our experiments to confirm the different effects of MXC exposure on the male reproductive system, kidney and liver. In these experiments, I used pre-pubescent ICR mice; the puberty period in ICR mice is from postnatal day (PND) 45 to PND60. I treated the experimental group with 0, 100, 200, 400 mg MXC/kg b.w. delivered by an intra-peritoneal injection with sesame oil used as vehicle for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the mice were sacrificed under anaesthesia. The testes and accessory reproductive organs were collected, weighed and prepared for histological investigation. I performed a chemiluminescence immune assay to observe the serum levels of testosterone, LH and FSH. Blood biochemical determination was also performed to check for other effects. There were no significant differences in our histological observations or relative organ weights. Serum testosterone levels were decreased in a dose-dependent manner; a greater dose resulted in the production of less testosterone. Compared to the control group, testosterone concentrations differed in the 200 and 400 mg/kg dosage groups. In conclusion, I observed markedly negative effects of MXC exposure on testosterone concentrations in pre-pubescent male mice. From our biochemical determinations, I observed some changes that indicate renal and hepatic failure. Together, these data suggest that MXC produces adverse effects on the reproductive system, kidney and liver.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2008

Immunomodulating effect of Salicornia herbacea extract on the mouse splenocytes was investigated. Crude S. herbacea polysaccharide extract (CSP) and other kinds of fine S. herbacea polysaccharides (SPI and SPII) were prepared from S. herbacea by hot water extraction and further ultrafiltration and gel filtration chromatography. In vitro experiment, the mouse splenocytes and separated T cells were treated with CSP, SPI or SPII (0.5, 1, 2, 4 mg/ml). In vivo experiment, three different S. herbacea extracts were orally administrated everyday for one week. For the basic data, body weight and physiological parameters such as organ weight and spleen index were observed. The proliferation of the cells was used as an index for immunemodulating activity and the effect of proliferation was evaluated using MTS assay. The CSP, SPI and SPII directly induced the proliferation of splenocytes and separated T cells in a dose-dependent manner. In results, the proliferation was more increased in the SPI and SPII treated cells than in the CSP treated cells. The best proliferation was shown in the splenocytes cultured with SPI at the concentration of 4 mg/ml for 24 hr. The proliferation of splenocytes and separated T-cells was higher (3.2 and 3.5 times, respectively) than the control. Moreover, when the mouse splenocytes were treated with mitogen, the efficient proliferation was shown in the splenocytes cultured with SPI. In conclusion, polysaccharides from S. herbacea showed a substantial immunomodulating activity in the mouse immune cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.335-344
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• 2004

Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a glycoprotein mainly secreted by CD4+ T helper Iymphocytes, has been developed to use recombinant cytokine to augment the immune response against cancer since IL-2 not only stimulates T Iymphocytes but also enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity. In order to evaluate the immunological safety of recombinant mouse IL-2 (rmIL-2) in cancer therapy, renal cell carcinoma was established in the flank by s.c. injection of renca cell line. Tumor-bearing BALB/c mice were treated with I.p. injections with $2{\times}10^5$ Lu rmIL-2. Even though the tumor size was diminished, there were not significant recovery of body and relative lymphoid organ weights including thymic atrophy in rmIL-2 immunotherapy. Distribution ratios of T cell subsets in thymus were analysed using flow cytometry. Without regard to dosage of rmIL-2, the ratio of CD3+CD4-CD8- T cells was increased in accordance with survival of solid tumor but that of CD4+CD8+ T cells was decreased dramatically. Emergence of autoantibodies (ANA, anti-dsDNA, and anti-histone) in blood was measured after rmIL-2 treatment. The results showed that the levels of ANA and anti-dsDNA did not significantly changed, but the level of anti-histone was increased significantly owing to rmIL-2 therapy. These results indicate rmIL-2 immunotherapy is to induce the autoimmune potential, and the anti-histone measurement as a biomarker of autoimmunity is useful in cancer immunotherapy.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.242-256
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• 2007

1. Objectives Purpose of this study is to prove anti-aging and anti-oxidative effects of Gongjinhugwon-dan decoction. 2. Methods The SD rats used in this experiment were 6, 18, and 36 weeks old. Each age group was again divided into three groups. These nine groups consisted of 8 rats each. One group was given no treatment, another group was dosed $200{\mu}l$ of normal saline daily, and the last group was dosed $200{\mu}l$ of 1 % Gongjinhugwon-dan and saline mixture. At the conclusion of the experiment, the age groups were relabelled accordingly (10 weeks, 22 weeks, and 40 weeks). After 4 weeks, change of weight and liver markers were measured. Serum LDL cholesterol, total bilirubin, albumin, glucose, GOT and GPT levels were observed in order to check the hematological modification. Also, each organ tissue was biopsied in order to measure the SOD activity and the glutathione content change. 3. Results & Conclusions Aging did not cause any significant change in GOT and LDH, but GPT and albumin levels showed increase after GHD intake. Serum GPT was lower in the experimental group. Serum total bilirubin of the 40 w GHD group was significantly increased. The populations of dendritic cells in the spleens of the GHD groups were significantly increased. The levels of GSH in the liver of the 40 w GHD group and in the kidney of 22w-GSD were significantly increased in comparison with those of the normal groups. The degenerative change of brain tissue was decreased in the 40 w GHD group compared with those of the 40w normal group and the 40 w saline group. These results suggest that anti-oxidative GSH concentration of liver and kidney in rats treated with GHD showed significant increase in the 40 w GHD group. GHD was effective on increasing anti-oxidative substance in liver and dendritic cells in spleen, thus helping immune system and preventing cell mutation and degenerative change of brain tissues. Further studies and clinical investigation with GHD is needed.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 1998

Cyclosporin A(CsA) is a selective immunosuppressive agent that has been credited with improved survival of solid organ allografts. Lymph node of BALB/C mouse administered CsA immunohistochemically observed to understand immunosuppressive effects of CsA on T lymphocytes, IL-2 receptors, and natural killer NK cells in lymph node. CsA orally administered daily for 10days at the dose 45mg/kg/day/. The lymph node were obtained at day 3, 7, and 14 after CsA administration and embedded with paraffin, and then stained by following ABC method that used monoclonal antibody including L3T4(CD4), Ly2(CD8), IL-2R(CD25), and NK-1.1(CD56). There were little changes of reactive degree and number of helper T lymphocytes, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, IL-2 receptors, and NK cells at day 3 after CsA administration, but they began to decrease at day 7. These decrease were greatest at day 14. The helper T lymphocytes. cytotoxic T lymphocytes, IL-2 receptors, and NK cells distributed in paracortex and medullary sinus. These results indicated that the secretion of IL-2 began to decrease at day 7 after CsA administration and subsequently to suppress T lymphocytes and NK cell as components of cell-mediated immunity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.193-200
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• 2019

Blood test is a useful tool in establishing medical treatment for livestock. It provides information such as disease diagnosis, treatment effects, prognostic judgment, and health status. This study compared the value of erythrocytes and leukocytes among conventional, transgenic miniature, and transgenic conventional pigs aged six months to 24 months. Further, it analyzed the aspects of hematological value changes according to the pigs' ages. As a result, the number of red blood cells (RBC), which include hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and the number of white blood cells (WBC), which include neutrophils, and lymphocyte, were high among transgenic miniature pigs, compared with the conventional and transgenic conventional pigs. Conventional pigs showed similar values of RBC and WBC regardless of transgenesis. In comparing their age, the RBC decreased as the age increased compared with the pigs among all the three groups aged of 6~12 months. On the other hand, WBC and neutrophils showed no significant difference regardless of different ages among all the three groups. However, various counts in RBC and WBC were mostly found to be higher in each age in transgenic miniature pigs than in conventional and transgenic conventional pigs. The results of this study show that the values of RBC and WBC were generally higher in transgenic miniature pigs than in conventional and transgenic conventional pigs. Based on this research, hematological values can be widely used in diagnosing diseases or checking the health status of transgenic pigs that are used as disease models, organ transplant source and alike.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.405-416
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• 1995

FBs, secondary metabolites of several species of Fusaria, especially Fusarium moniliforme and F proliferatum, are commonly contaminated in com and other food grains throughout the world. Only recently identified, these mycotoxins have been associated field outbreaks of ELEM in horses and PPE in pigs. Currently, naturally or experimentally induced FB toxicosis has been studied in poultry, ruminants and rabbits. Poultry fed FB showed decreased growth rate, performance, and immune competence, as well as embryopathic, and embryocidal effects, and ricktes. Ruminants seem to be relatively less susceptible to FBs than other doestic animal. FB toxicosis reveals that liver is a target organ in all species, although other organs are affected in a species specific manner. Recently, the main target organs for $FB_1$ toxicity in rabbits was shown to be the kidney. Even low concentrations of FBs are likely to be a problem for animal health. A current study being conducted showed that feed containing low level of $FB_1$ reduces the ability of pulmonary intravascular macrophages in pig to clear blood-borne particles which would increase the susceptibility of animals to bacterial disease. The mechanism of FB toxicity remains unknown, but may be related to altered sphingolipid biosynthesis by inhibiting sphinganine N-acyltransferase. Elevations of serum and tissue SA:SO ratio have been observed in horse, pig, chicken, turkey, and rabbit, which could could serve as in effective biomarker for consumption of FB-containing feeds. There is limited information detailing dose-effect relationships either from field cases or in the laboratory. More research on the factors, including the prevalence and tolerance levels of FBs in feedstuffs that cause domestic animal disease associated with FBs, is urgently needed.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2012

The world's first face transplantation was performed in France, in 2005. Since then, 21 cases of face transplantation have been performed. Face transplantation is one of the most prominent part of composite tissue allotransplantation (CTA) along with hand transplantation. Since these fields are not deal with life-saving organs, there are many arguments about immunosuppression therapy. Recent paradigm of face transplantation shows that surgical ranges are expanded from partial face transplantation to full face transplantation. Most immunosuppression protocols are triple therapy, which consists of tacrolimus (FK-506), mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone. Anatomical researches, immunosuppression, and immunotolerance take great parts in the researches of CTA. The medical fields directly related to face transplantation are microsurgery, immunology, and transplantation. Nowadays, each field is performed widely. Therefore people, even medical teams think face transplantation could be easily realized, sooner or later. But there are lots of things that should be prepared for not only practice and immunosuppression therapy but also for the cooperation with relevant fields. That's the reason why only 21 cases of face transplantation have been done, while more than 70 cases of hand transplantation have been done in the past years. Especially in Korea, brain death patients are not enough even for organ transplantation and furthermore there are some troubles in taking part in the society of transplantation. Face transplantation has lots of problems concerning variable medical fields, administration, society, ethics, and laws. Therefore, for the realization of face transplantation in Korea, not only medical skills but also political powers are needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3651-3657
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• 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a relatively higher incidence in many countries of Asia. Globally, HCC has a high fatality rate and short survival. Epirubicin, a doxorubicin analogue, may be administered alone or in combination with other agents to treat primary liver cancer and metastatic diseases. However, the toxic effects of epirubicin to normal tissues and cells have been one of the major obstacles to successful cancer chemotherapy. Here, we investigated the effects of epirubicin in combination with kappa-selenocarrageenan on mice with H22 implanted tumors and HepG-2 cell proliferation, immune organ index, morphology, cell cycle and related protein expressions in vivo and in vitro with sequential drug exposure. The inhibitory rate of tumor growth in vivo was calculated. Drug sensitivity was measured by MTT assay, and the King's principle was used to evaluate the interaction of drug combination. Morphological changes were observed by fluorescent microscopy. Cell cycle changes were analyzed by flow cytometry. Expression of cyclin A, Cdc25A and Cdk2 were detected by Western blotting. In vivo results demonstrated that the inhibitory rate of EPI combined with KSC was higher than that of KSC or EPI alone, and the Q value indicated an additive effect. In addition, KSC could significantly raise the thymus and spleen indices of mice with H22 implanted tumors. In the drug sensitivity assay in vitro, exposure to KSC and EPI simultaneously was more effective than exposure sequentially in HepG-2 cells, while exposure to KSC prior to EPI was more effective than exposure to EPI prior to KSC. Q values showed an additive effect in the simultaneous group and antagonistic effects in the sequential groups. Morphological analysis showed similar results to the drug sensitivity assay. Cell cycle analysis revealed that exposure to KSC or EPI alone arrested the cells in S phase in HepG-2 cells, exposure to KSC and EPI simultaneously caused accumulation in the S phase, an effect caused by either KSC or EPI. Expression of cyclin A, Cdc25A and Cdk2 protein was down-regulated following exposure to KSC and EPI alone or in combination, exposure to KSC and EPI simultaneously resulting in the lowest values. Taken together, our findings suggest that KSC in combination with EPI might have potential as a new therapeutic regimen against HCC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.862-870
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of brown seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) by-product and seaweed fusiforme (Hizikia fusiformis) by-product supplementation on growth performance and blood profiles including serum immunoglobulin (Ig) in broilers. Fermentation of seaweeds was conducted by Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae. In a 5-wk feeding trial, 750 one-d-old broiler chicks were divided into 5 groups, and were assigned to the control diet or experimental diets including control+0.5% brown seaweed (BS) by-product, control+0.5% seaweed fusiforme (SF) by-product, control+0.5% fermented brown seaweed (FBS) by-product, and control+0.5% fermented seaweed fusiforme (FSF) by-product. As a consequence, body weight gain (BWG) and gain:feed of seaweed by-product groups were clearly higher, when compared to those of control diet group from d 18 to 35 and the entire experimental period (p<0.05). In mortality rate, seaweed by-product groups were significantly lower when compared to control diet group during entire experimental period (p<0.05). However, Feed Intake of experimental diets group was not different from that of the control group during the entire experimental period. Whereas, Feed Intake of fermented seaweed by-product groups was lower than that of non-fermented seaweed groups (p<0.05). Total organ weights, lipids, and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) of all treatment groups were not different from those of control group. However, glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) of all treatment groups was higher than that of control group at d 17 (p<0.05). In case of serum Igs concentration, the concentration of IgA antibody in BS, SF, FSF treatment groups was significantly higher than in control group at d 35 (p<0.01). IgA concentration in FBS supplementation groups was negligibly decreased when compared to the control group. IgM concentration in the serums of all treatment groups was significantly higher than in control group (p<0.05) and in fermented seaweed by-product groups were much higher than in non-fermented seaweed groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, IgG concentrations in all treatment groups were lower than in control group (p<0.05). Taken together, our results suggest that by-product dietary supplementation of BS, SF, FBS, and FSF in poultry may provide positive effects of growth performance and immune response.