• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.194-204
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• 2020

The detrimental impact of air pollution as a result of frequent exposure to fine particles posed a global public health risk mainly to the pulmonary disorders in pediatric and geriatric population. Here, we reviewed the current literature regarding the role of ginseng and/or its components as antimicrobials, especially against pathogens that cause respiratory infections in animal and in vitro models. Some of the possible mechanisms for ginseng-mediated viral inhibition suggested are improvements in systemic and mucosa-specific antibody responses, serum hemagglutinin inhibition, lymphocyte proliferation, cell survival rate, and viral clearance in the lungs. In addition, ginseng reduces the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) and chemokines produced by airway epithelial cells and macrophages, thus preventing weight loss. In case of bacterial infections, ginseng acts by alleviating inflammatory cytokine production, increasing survival rates, and activating phagocytes and natural killer cells. In addition, ginseng inhibits biofilm formation and induces the dispersion and dissolution of mature biofilms. Most clinical trials revealed that ginseng, at various dosages, is a safe and effective method of seasonal prophylaxis, relieving the symptoms and reducing the risk and duration of colds and flu. Taken together, these findings support the efficacy of ginseng as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent for respiratory infections.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2000

The immunostimulatory effects of quaternary ammonium compounds(QACs) were investigated in leucocytes of eel(Anguilla japonica) in vitro. Proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes(PBLs) was no significantly affected by QACs, regardless of mitogen(PHA, ConA and LPS) and the concentration of QACs added. QACs heightened the leucocytes function such as respiratory burst activity, phagocytosis and pinocytosis, resulting in significantly increased the bactericidal activity of macrophages. These results suggested that QAC might modulate the immune responses by activation of leucocytes function but not by increment of immunocompetent cell numbers.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1361-1368
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• 2019

Codium fragile is an edible seaweed in Asian countries that has been used as a thrombolytic, anticoagulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulatory agent. Ginseng has also been known to maintain immune homeostasis and to regulate the immune system via enhancing resistance to diseases and microorganisms. In this study, anionic macromolecules extracted from C. fragile (CFAM) were orally administered with red ginseng extract (100 mg/kg body weight) to cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed male BALB/c mice to investigate the immune-enhancing cooperative effect of Codium fragile and red ginseng. Our results showed that supplementing CFAM with red ginseng extract significantly increased spleen index, T- and B-cell proliferation, NK cell activity, and splenic lymphocyte immune-associated gene expression compared to those with red ginseng alone, even though a high concentration of CFAM with red ginseng decreased immune biomarkers. These results suggest that CFAM can be used as a co-stimulant to enhance health and immunity in immunosuppressed conditions.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.277-285
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• 2005

Israeli carps were intraperitoneally injected with an aqueous extract of red ginseng (RG) at five different concentrations (0, 1, 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg of body weight). The fish were sacrificed after 3 days and measured the neutrophil activity and plasma components. The activity of lysozyme, Ht, TIC and NBT reduction were significantly enhanced in the concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg. Further attempts were made to measure the effects of RG on leucocyte function at five different concentrations (1-100 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$), in vitro. The proliferation of lymphocytes co-incubated with phytohaemagglutin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) was significantly increased at 10 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration, but suppressed at the highest concentration (100 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$). RG alone or with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) had no effect on proliferation at any concentrations tested. Migration and reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) production of leucocytes were enhanced in all concentration higher than 10 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. These results suggest that the RG activates the leucocyte function and may be able to be used as a stimulant of fish innate defences.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.43.1-43.11
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• 2020

Capicua (CIC) is a transcriptional repressor that regulates several developmental processes. CIC deficiency results in lymphoproliferative autoimmunity accompanied by expansion of CD44^hiCD62L^lo effector/memory and follicular Th cell populations. Deletion of Cic alleles in hematopoietic stem cells (Vav1-Cre-mediated knockout of Cic) causes more severe autoimmunity than that caused by the knockout of Cic in CD4⁺CD8⁺ double positive thymocytes (Cd4-Cre-mediated knockout of Cic). In this study, we compared splenic CD4⁺ T cell activation and proliferation between whole immune cell-specific Cic-null (Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre) and T cell-specific Cic-null (Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre) mice. Hyperactivation and hyperproliferation of CD4⁺ T cells were more apparent in Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre mice than in Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre mice. Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre CD4⁺ T cells more rapidly proliferated and secreted larger amounts of IL-2 upon TCR stimulation than did Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre CD4⁺ T cells, while the TCR stimulation-induced activation of the TCR signaling cascade and calcium flux were comparable between them. Mixed wild-type and Cic^f/f;Vav1-Cre bone marrow chimeras also exhibited more apparent hyperactivation and hyperproliferation of Cic-deficient CD4⁺ T cells than did mixed wild-type and Cic^f/f;Cd4-Cre bone marrow chimeras. Taken together, our data demonstrate that CIC deficiency at the beginning of T cell development endows peripheral CD4⁺ T cells with enhanced T cell activation and proliferative capability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.1930-1939
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• 2013

It has been reported that Chungkukjang, one of Korean traditional fermented soybean products, may improve hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. In this study, we sought to investigate the immunoenhancing effects of Chungkukjang in ovariectomized mice. For the first period, female SLC ddy mice were either sham-operated (Sham; n=27) or ovariectomized (OVX; n=27). As a basal diet, ovariectomized mice were fed low-calcium diet for faster induction of osteoporosis for six weeks, and those in the Sham group were fed AIN-76 diet. For the second period, half of the OVX group (n=9) and the Sham group (n=9) were fed a Chungkukjang-based diet (CKJ); whereas the other half (OVX; n=9/ Sham; n=9) were fed a casein-based diet (CSI) for 8 weeks. After a second period, we collected the blood via heart puncture and measured the splenocytes proliferation, T lymphocyte subsets by flowcytometry, and levels of serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$) by ELISA assay. The OVX+CKJ group showed higher splenocytes proliferation, higher ratio of CD4/CD8, and lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ cytokines compared to the OVX+CSI group. The Sham+CKJ group showed cytokine productions, such as higher levels of IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$, and lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ compared to the Sham+CSI group. The result of this study suggests that Chungkukjang may lower the proinflammatory cytokine levels in both the OVX and Sham groups. In addition, Chungkukjang could make a balance of T cell subset proliferations and enhance the splenocyte proliferations in the OVX group.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-61
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• 1990

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of indomethacin on the distribution of Langerhans cells and T-lymphocytes related with immune response of 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide induced carcinogenesis at the palate and tongue of albino rat. 54 Sprague-Dawley strain 10 weeks old albino rats, about 150gm weighted, divided into a normal group of 6 rats without treatment, a control group of 12 rats given indomethacin, a carcinogenesis group of 18 whose palatal mucosa were appiled with 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide three times a week, and experimental group of 18 rats were treated with indomethacin and whose palatal mucosa were applied 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide. All these 54 rats were subjected to be observed as being ATPase stained specimens, specimens for the observation of light and electron microscope, and T-lymphocyte stained specimens. The obtained results were summarized as follows; 1. In carcinogenesis group, proliferation of epithelial layer and rete peg were observed early period of the experiment and showed parakeratosis, individual cell keratinization, acanthosis, and lymphocyte infiltration from 13th week of the experiment on lightmicroscopically, while experimental group showed less reaction than that of carcinagenesis group. 2. The number of Langerhans cells in normal group rarely changed until 21st week of the experiment, while the Langerhans cells increased markedly from 3rd week of the experiment in control group. 3. The number of Langerhans cells were decreased markedly and persistantly until 21st week of the experiment both in carcinogenesis and experimental groups. 4. Appearance of the T-helper cells and T-suppressor cells were minimal and irregullar in number both in normal and control groups. Thus it is assumed that administration of indomethacin and distribution of Langerhans cells showed close relation. 5. In carcinogenesis and experimental groups, the number of the T-helper cells was apparently inereased than that of the T-suppressor cells, but increasing pattern in experimental group was less than in carcinogenesis group. These cells increased most in the 21st week, decreased from the 23rd week and the appearance of these cells were irregular in general throughout the experiment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1166-1171
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• 2007

Exercise is the strongest stress to which the body is ever exposed. The body responds to this stress through a set of physiological changes in its metabolic, hormonal, and immunological systems. In this study, responses of the immune system to the long-term aerobic and anaerobic exercises have been investigated. Regular moderate exercise is associated with a reduced incidence of infection compared with a sedentary groups. Aerobic training increases the heart rate and enhances the body's intake of oxygen long enough to benefit the condition of the body. In recent years, the importance of exercise in everyday life has been rapidly increasing. Moderate exercise appears to stimulate the immune system. And also, Exercise elicits an increase in the numbers of circulating lymphocytes and lymphocyte subsets (including NK cells) which is followed by a decrease in the numbers of cells during recovery from exercise. However, prolonged bouts of strenuous exercise cause a temporary depression of various aspects of immune functions (e.g. lymphocyte proliferation, monocyte antigen presentation, open window periods, exercise induced asthma, exercise induced anaphylaxis) that usually lasts 2-24 hr after exercise depending on the intensity and duration of the exercise bout. Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) was defined as a decrease of at least 15% in pre exercise forced expiratory volume in one second at any time point after exercise. This includes elevation of cortisol and cathecholamines in plasma. On the other hand, highly trained athletes exhibit a chronic mild hypercortisolism at baseline that maybe an adaptive change to chronic exercise. And, Consuming carbohydrate during prolonged strenuous exercise attenuates rises in stress hormones and appears to limit the degree of exercise-induced immune depression. Recent evidence suggests that antioxidant vitamin supplementation may also reduce exercise stress and impairment of leukocyte functions.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2022

Backgrounds/Aims: The role of inflammation in malignant cell proliferation has been well described. High values of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as markers of systemic inflammation have shown associations with unfavorable long-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine values of NLR and PLR evaluated prior to and after surgery and their associations with mortality and recurrence rates of liver transplant patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 105 patients with HCC who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were retrospectively reviewed. NLR and PLR values were obtained from complete blood counts prior to and after surgery. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in relation with delta NLR and PLR were estimated. Results: Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels > 100 ng/mL (p = 0.014) and lymphovascular emboli in the specimen (p = 0.048) were identified to be significant predictors of RFS. Child-Pugh score (p = 0.016) was found to be an independent factor associated with poorer OS. An increasing delta PLR was associated with worse RFS, although it showed no significant association with OS. Conclusions: The analysis of PLR as a continuous variable may predict recurrence outcomes in patients undergoing OLT for HCC. It is more representative than isolated values.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 2004

In the traditional Chinese medicine, Drynariae Rhizoma (DR) has been reported as a good enhancer for bone healing. DR, a plant widely used in the traditional medicinal systems of Korea, has been reported to possess antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. Modulation of immune response to alleviate disease has been of interest for a long time. Plant extracts have been widely investigated for possible immunomodulatory properties. Thus, I have evaluated the anticellular and immunomodulatory properties of ethanolic extract of DR. DR extract inhibited proliferation of mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin; PHA) and antigen (purified protein derivative; PPD)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In addition, DR inhibited growth of several cell lines of mouse and human origin. It also inhibited production of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}\;(TNF-{\alpha})$. Intracytoplasmic $interferon-{\gamma}\;(IFN-{\gamma})$ and expression of cell surface markers, CD16 and HLA-DR, on human PBMC, were not affected on treatment with DR but CD25 expression was down regulated. This study demonstrates the antiproliferative and immunosuppressive potential of ethanolic extract of DR in vitro.