• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.788-793
• /
• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the biological effects from Codium fragile. Methanol extract of Codium fragile increased two times at 2500 ㎍/ml the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum that associated with probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria of Kimchi. Ethyl acetate extract of Codium fragile inhibited the cellulase activity up to approximately 60% at $2500\;{\mu}g/ml$. Methanol extract of Codium fragile was fractionated into several subfractions and their antioxidant activities were measured by using DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activity. Especially the antioxidative activity of ethyl acetate fraction was shown higher than that of other fractions and its fraction showed higher contents of total phenolic compounds, indicating the positive relationship between DPPH radical scavenging effect and total polyphenol content. Stimulation of the macrophages RAW264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in increased production of nitric oxide (NO) in the medium. However, the methanol extract of Codium fragile showed marked inhibition of NO synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. This result suggest that Codium fragile plays significant role for activation of immune system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2017

Probiotic principles can be applied in aquaculture for the purpose of growth and immunity stimulation, disease prevention and eventually better production performance. This study was to assess effects of combinations of microbes containing two Bacillus sp., plus one Lactobacillus sp. as the basal preparation (BSL-LAB), and additional Nitrosomonas sp. (nitrifying bacteria consortium, NBS) in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The effects examined were growth parameters, hematologic parameters, innate immunity and pathogen challenge test. Fish were assigned to 4 treatments as Control (no probiotics), Group A (Bacillius and Lactobacillus to culture water), Group B (Bacillius and Lactobacillus both in water and feed), Group C (same as Group B with additional Nitrosomonas in feed). Fish were allocated to the above 4 groups, each group being composed of triplicate 30 fish, for a 7-week feeding in the laboratory. Positive effects were observed both in growth and pathogen sensitivity with all three probiotic combinations. Such effects were attributed to improved innate immune functions. This result indicates that the tested probiotic microbes are beneficial to olive flounder aquaculture.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.310-318
• /
• 2010

Dioscorea bulbifera is one of the traditional medicinal herb. It commonly used in the treatment of hematemesis, epistaxis, tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis, laryngitis, acute infectious disease in East Asia. In the present study, we have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of Dioscorea bulbifera MeOH extract (DBME) in macrophage cell line. To investigate mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity, we examined the effects of the lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), pro-inflammatory cytokines and expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), p-inhibitory ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ (p-$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$), and nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) in a murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. The RAW 264.7 cells were cultured in DMEM + serum medium for 24 hrs. After serum starvation for 24 hrs, the cells were treated with DBME 0.03, 0.10, 0.30 mg/$m{\ell}$ for 1 h, followed by stimulation with LPS (1 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$) for activation of immune response. After treatment, cell viability was measured by MTT assay, and NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. The protein band of iNOS, COX-2, p-$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$, and NF-${\kappa}B$ was determined by immunoblot analysis and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich immunoassays. There were three experimental groups: carrageenan, DBME 0.3, 1.0 g/kg. Rats were administrated either carrageenan (40% PEG) or carrageenan + DBME (0.3, 1.0 g/kg body weight) for 4 days (p.o.). To induce acute paw edema, rats were injected 1% carrageenan (100 ${\mu}{\ell}$/rat, dissolved in sterilized saline). The effect of DBME in the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. As results, DBME has an inhibitory effect on the production of NO, PGE2, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 and on the expression of iNOS, COX-2, p-$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$ to nuclear from cytosol. In addition, DBME effectively inhibited the increases of paw edema induced by carrageenan treatment in vivo. These results suggest that DBME can inhibit production of pro-inflammatory mediators and might be a useful source for treatment of acute inflammatory disease.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.407-412
• /
• 2012

Wild grass is edible, and it grows in the mountains or field areas. Wild grass has diverse biological effects, such as antiobesity, anti-cancer, antioxidant activities and immune stimulation. Currently, many studies are aimed at enhancing the efficacy of medicinal foods on biological activity using a bioconversion technology, including the fermentation process. In this study, the quality characteristics and antioxidative activity of the fermented wild grass was investigated. The antioxidant activity of fermented wild grass was assessed by various radical scavenging assays using DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP(ferric ion reducing antioxidant power), reducing power, and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)). Moisture contents of the fermented wild grass is $49.6{\pm}0.06%$. Contents of crude ash, crude protein, and crude fat were $0.65{\pm}0.01$, $0.65{\pm}0.04$, and $3.3{\pm}0.59%$, respectively. Moreover, fermented wild grass showed that the hunter's color values were 80.36(lightnees), 11.47(redness), and 44.53(yellowness), respectively. Total phenolic contents of the fermented wild grass was $1,185{\pm}159{\mu}g$ GAE(gallic acid equivalent)/g. The antioxidative activities of the fermented wild grass were significantly increased in a dose dependent manner. In addition, fermented wild grass did not show any cytotoxicity up to 500 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. However, the anti-adipogenic effect of the fermented wild grass extract was barely detectable. This antioxidant potential is partly due to the phenolic compounds that are present in the fermented wild grass extracts.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.207-217
• /
• 2011

Objectives : In a previous study, we have shown that Gagam-Gongjin-Dan(GGD) has an inhibitory effect on the ovalbumin-induced immune responses and a hepatoprotective effect on actaminophen-induced liver injury in Balb/c Mice. However, the possible anti-inflammatory effect of GGD extract for inflammatory mediators was not reported. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate an inhibitory effects of GGD extract against lipopolysaccharides(LPS) induced inflammatory mediators in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Methods : GGD extract was prepared by extracting with methanol for 7 days. The extract was freeze-dried following filtration through vacuum distillation system. Accumulated nitrite, an oxidative product of nitric oxide(NO), was measured in the culture medium by the Griess reaction. The levels of prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$(IL-$1{\beta}$), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$(TNF-${\alpha}$) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) were measured by Western blot analysis. Results : GGD extract (50-$400\;{\mu}g$/ml) per se had no cytotoxic effect in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. GGD extract dose-dependently reduced NO, $PGE_2$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ production and COX-2 activity caused by stimulation of LPS. The levels of iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions were markedly suppressed by the treatment with GGD extract in a dose dependent manner. Conclusions : These results suggest that GGD extract has an anti-inflammatory effect against LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in peritoneal macrophages, these properties may contribute to inflammation disease care.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.311-314
• /
• 2010

Bartonella henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease. Although cats are the main zoonotic reservoirs of Bartonella spp., unusual cases of cat scratch disease caused by a domestic dog scratch have been recently reported. For the in vivo B. henselae infection, eight dogs were inoculated intradermally with $2{\times}10^8CFU$ of B. henselae Houston-1 suspended in 1 ml of phosphate buffered saline on day 0 and subsequent injections of the same amount given intradermally on days 21, 28, 36, 58 and 64. After in vivo canine B. henselae infection was confirmed by nested PCR, the IFN-$\gamma$ levels of the culture supernatant of PBMC stimulated with B. henselae was significantly higher in the B. henselae-PCR positive group than the B. henselae-PCR negative group. Our results showed that the canine immune responses against B. henselae were different from those of cats. Th1 activation by B. henselae stimulation was characterized in dog peripheral blood mononuclear cells, whereas Th2 activation was reported in B. henselae-infected cats.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.17 no.1 s.81
• /
• pp.105-109
• /
• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the biological effects oak wood vinegar. Antimicrobial activity was tested in five microbial species at the concentration of 5 to $50{\mu}l$ of oak wood vinegar by paper disc method. Growth of P. oleovoranse, P. vulgaris, E. coli, S. aureus and Prevotella intermedia was inhibited at a dose of as low as $50{\mu}l$ of oak wood vinegar. Antioxidant activities were measured by using DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activity. DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activities were 90% and 65% at the concentration of $25{\mu}l\;and\;50{\mu}l$ of oak wood vinegar, respectively. Stimulation of the macrophages RAW264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in increased production of nitric oxide (NO) in the medium. However, the oak wood vinegar showed marked inhibition of NO synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. This result suggest that oak wood vinegar plays significant role for activation of immune system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.26 no.9
• /
• pp.1027-1032
• /
• 2016

Antigen is substance causing disease derived from pathogen. Living organism has the immune system in terms of defense mechanism against antigen. Antigen is processed through several pathways such as phagocytosis, antibody action, complement activation, and cytotoxins by NK or cytotoxic T lymphocyte via MHC molecule. Lymph node (LN) is comprised of the complicated 3 dimensional network and several stromal cells. Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRC) are distributed in T zone for interaction with T cells. FRC produces the extra cellular matrix (ECM) into LN for ECM reorganization against pathogen infections and secretes homing chemokines. However, it has not so much been known about the involvement of the antigen process of FRC. The present report is for the function of FRC on antigen process. For this, FRC was positioned with several infected situations such as co-culture with macrophage, T cell, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and TNFα stimulation. When co-culture between FRC with macrophage and T cells was performed, morphological change of FRC was observed and empty space between FRCs was made by morphological change. The matrix metallo-proteinase (MMP) activity was up-regulated by Y27632 and T cells onto FRC. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokine, TNFα regulated the expression of adhesion molecules and MHC I antigen transporter in FRC by gene chip assay. NO production was elevated by FRC monolayer co-cultured with macrophage stimulated by LPS. GFP antigen was up-taken by macrophage co-cultured with FRC. Collectively, it suggests that FRC assists of the facilitation of antigen process and LN stroma is implicated into antigen process pathway.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.263-268
• /
• 2017

${\beta}$-Agarase cleaves the ${\beta}$-1,4 linkages of agar to produce neoagarooligosaccharides (NAO), which are associated with various physiological functions. However, the immunological functions of NAO are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that ${\beta}$-agarase DagA-produced neoagarohexaose (DP6), an NAO product, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). DP6 directly and indirectly enhanced the activation of natural killer (NK) cells in a TLR4-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the antitumor activity of DP6 against B16F1 melanoma cells was inhibited in NK cell-depletion systems by using NK-cell depleting antibodies in vivo. Collectively, the results indicated that DP6 augments antitumor immunity against B16F1 melanoma cells via the activation of DC-mediated NK cells in a TLR4-dependent manner. Thus, DP6 is a potential candidate adjuvant that acts as an immune cell modulator for the treatment of melanoma.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.329-334
• /
• 2020

Inflammasomes are cytosolic, multiprotein complexes that act at the frontline of the immune responses by recognizing pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns or abnormal host molecules. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been reported to possess multipotency to differentiate into various cell types and immunoregulatory effects. In this study, we investigated the expression and functional regulation of NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in human umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs (hUCB-MSCs). hUCB-MSCs expressed inflammasome components that are necessary for its complex assembly. Interestingly, NLRP3 inflammasome activation suppressed the differentiation of hUCB-MSCs into osteoblasts, which was restored when the expression of adaptor proteins for inflammasome assembly was inhibited. Moreover, the suppressive effects of MSCs on T cell responses and the macrophage activation were augmented in response to NLRP3 activation. In vivo studies using colitic mice revealed that the protective abilities of hUCB-MSCs increased after NLRP3 stimulation. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the NLRP3 inflammasome components are expressed in hUCB-MSCs and its activation can regulate the differentiation capability and the immunomodulatory effects of hUCB-MSCs.