• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.439-445
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• 2006

Purpose : ${\alpha}$-Galactosylceramide (${\alpha}$-GalCer)-stimulated human $V{\alpha}24$ natural killer T (NKT) cells exert antitumor activity against some leukemia in a CD1d dependent and TCR-mediated manner, but could not kill CD1d - negative neuroblastoma (NB) cells. There are few reports about the direct antitumor effect of highly secreted cytokines by these cells on activation. In this study, using a cell-free supernatant (SPN) collected from plate bound hCD1d/${\alpha}$ GalCer tetramers-stimulated NKT cells, we examined whether they could be helpful in the immunotherapeutic treatment of NB. Methods : Cells were cultured in IMDM. The cytokines produced by NKT cells were measured with Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) analysis. Cell viability was evaluated by calcein-AM fluorescence with digital image microscopy scanning (DIMSCAN). The percentage of specific apoptosis was calculated by flow cytometric detection of apoptosis using annexin V and 7-AAD. Results : The activated NKT cells secreted high levels of IL-2, INF-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$. The SPN was significantly cytotoxic against four out of eight tested NB cell lines, through mainly apoptosis as evidenced by annexin-V staining and inhibition with the pretreatment of pancaspase blocker. This apoptosis was significantly inhibited when anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ and anti-IFN-${\gamma}$ neutralizing mAbs were used separately and it was completely abolished when the two mAbs were combined. Conclusion : IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ produced by NKT cells could exert synergistically direct antitumor activity through apoptosis on some NB cell lines.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2008

Lipid soluble ginseng extract was administered by oral route in doses of 600 mg/patient daily in cancer patients over 2 months and 6 months. The administration of ginseng extract in cancer patients maintained the ratio of CD4/CD8 and number of the natural killer cell in the normal range during the administration period. Also its administration showed a positive effect on tumor values in 87.5% of patients in 2 month-group and in 50% of patients in 6 month-group, as determined by various cancer markers. Liver and kidney functions maintained normal condition during administration period of 6 months. Although there was no statistical significance, these data suggest that lipid soluble ginseng extract may be useful as an adjuvant therapeutic agent and nutritional supplement for the improvement of immune function and health in cancer patients. This study would provide the basis for the research in which the antitumor and immunopotential activity of lipid soluble ginseng extract for cancer patients are evaluated in formal clinical trial with statistically significant patient number.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.155-161
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• 2016

A recent study reported that Pleurotus ostreatus has the potential to be used as a ${\beta}-glucan-based$ cream for supportive complementary therapy of atopic dermatitis. KH054 is a new herbal prescription consisting of P. ostreatus and Panax ginseng. The effects of atopic dermatitis-induced materials on the expression of cytokine genes in human monocytes (THP-1, EoL- 1) have been examined. Some reports demonstrated that P. ginseng augments the activity of natural killer cells, which plays an important role in innate immunity against infection and tumor development. Monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 have important roles in mediating the infiltration of various cells into the skin of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. The present study investigated whether KH054 on induced IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronissinus) in THP-1 (human acute monocytic leukemia) and EoL-1(Human eosinophilic leukemia) cell. D. pteronissinus functions in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis and asthma. The inhibitory effect of KH054 on the induction of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by D. pteronissinus extract in THP-1 and EoL-1 cells was examined. KH054 potently suppressed the elevated production of IL-6 and IL-8 induced by D. pteronissinus treatment in THP-1 and EoL-1 cells. Based on the present results, KH054 may be useful for developing functional foods to treat atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2002

This study was aimed to analyze the variables measuring stress and immune responses, to identify the relationship between stress and immune responses, and to find out the effect of nursing interventions associated with stress and immune responses by reviewing thirty-four published articles since 1970 in Korea. The articles were selected in the field of nursing, stress management, and masters or doctoral dissertations and limited to human subject. Among these, the thirty-one articles were published since 1996 and mainly distributed in nursing (44.1%) and medicine(44.1%). The prevailing research design was nonequivalent control pre-post experimental design(41.1%). The research subjects were 55.9% for patients and 44.1% for healthy general persons including 20.6% of university students. To evaluate stress, both physiologic and psychosocial measures were adapted together in 35.3% of the articles. The most frequent two variables measuring stress and immune response were cortisol level(15.9%) and number or activity of natural killer cell(25.9%). The relation between stress and immune responses was positive in 4 articles, negative in 9 cases, and none in 12 cases. Decreased stress and enhanced immune function have been found when massage, abdominal breathing, exercise, relaxation, and touch were provided as nursing interventions. The articles to investigate the relationship between stress and immune function were limited and the tested variables were diverse. Also there was no consistent evidence to correlate the stress and immune function at present. Further studies are needed to construct a valid research design and to investigate the relationship between stress and immune responses. Nursing interventions to decrease stress should be developed to result in the increased immune function and the effect of these interventions would be verified.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2019

In this study, we examined the immunostimulating characteristics of a hot water extract (RCW) and crude polysaccharides (RCP) of red cabbage. RCW and RCP did not show any cytotoxicity in B16BL6 cells and macrophages. Although the sugar compositions of RCW and RCP were similar, the uronic acid content of RCP was higher than that of RCW RCP significantly increased the production of various cytokines and NO, whereas RCW did not affect the production of cytokines and NO. In an ex vivo assay of natural killer (NK) cell activity, intravenous (i.v.) administration of RCP significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity against Yac-1 tumor cells at 3 days after RCP treatment. In an experimental lung metastasis model using B16BL6 melanoma cells, i.v. administration of RCP at a dose of $1,000{\mu}g$ per mouse significantly inhibited 47.3% of lung metastasis. These results suggest that crude polysaccharide isolated from red cabbage is a promising food ingredient for the prevention of tumor metastasis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.919-928
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• 2017

The immuno-enhancing effects of alginate oligosaccharides from Sargassum coreanum were investigated. The alginate oligosaccharides were produced by an alginate-degrading enzyme from S. oneidensis PKA 1008. The degraded alginate oligosaccharides were visualized by thin-layer chromatography developed using a solvent system of 1-butanol/methanol/water, 4:1:2 (v/v/v). Alginate was degraded into dimmers at 60 h. As a result, the levels of Th1 cytokine [interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$ and interleukin (IL)-2] and Th2 cytokine (IL-6 and IL-10) increased with increasing incubation time compared to the control in vitro. Enzymatic extract treatment promoted proliferation of splenocytes at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/kg at 24 h in vivo. Secretion of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-2 significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner at 24 h as well as induced higher production of IgG2a in serum. Natural killer cell activity was measured and tended to increase. In addition, complete blood cell counts increased in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that alginate oligosaccharides produced by crude enzyme from S. oneidensis PKA 1008 may have significant immune activities.