• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 1992

The natural killer cell activity of splenocytes and TBC, active NK cells, recycling capacity of natural killer cells were observed by means of both the 51Cr-release cytotoxicity assay and single cell cytotoxicity assay against YAC-1. CSH/HeJ mice were infected intranasally with $1{\times}10^4{\;}or{\;}1{\times}10^5$ trophosoites of pathogenic Acanthamoeba culbertsoni. The infected mice showed mortality rate of 34% in $1{\times}10^4$ group and 65% in 1{\times}10^5 group, and mean survival time was $16.40{\pm}3.50$ {\;}and{\;}3.20{\pm}4.09$ days respectively. The cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells of the 2 groups was significantly higher than that of non-infected mice from the 12th hour to the 2nd day after infection, showing the highest on the first day. On the l0th day after infection, the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells was significantly suppressed as compared with that of the control. There was no significant difference in NK cell cytotoxicity between two infected groups. The targetbinding capacity and active NK cells of natural killer cells in $1{\times}10^5$ trophosoite infected mice was significantly increased on the 12th hour and the first day after infection as compared with the control group. Maximal recycling capacity (MRC) was not changed during the observation period. The present results indicated that the elevation of natural killer cell activity in the mice infected with A. culbertsoni was due to elevation of target.binding capacity and increased active NK cells of natural killer cells, and not due to the maximal recycling capacity of the individual NK cell, and there was no difference between two experimental dose groups.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2002

To study the increased resistance in fish against Vibrio vulnificus known as an important agent of vibrio septicemia in human, we analyzed specific and nonspecific immune response in flounder after administration of V. vulnificus bacterins by oral route. It contained the comparison of antibody concentrations in the sera of flounder after oral administration by two different protocols with uncoated heat killed bacterin of V vulnificus (UHKB, 20 mg/kg body weight), i.e., 4 weeks continuously (group 4W) and taking 2 weeks resting period between the 1st and last week of administration (group 1-2-1W). Even though, 1-2-1W group showed significantly increased level of specific antibody in serum, it did not reach to that of 4W group. Certainly, flounder vaccinated twice a week for four weeks (20 mg/kg b.w.) showed increased concentration of specific antibody against V. vulnificus at week 2 after last administration by oral route and maintained throughout the experimental period. It also was confirmed by the increased numbers of specific antibody secreting cells (SASC) in the leukocytes isolated from the splenocytes of the flounder of 4W group at week 1 after last administration until the end of experimental period. However, enteric, acid-resistant film coated heat killed bacterin (ECHB) did not show both greater immune reaction for antibody production and faster elimination of a challenge dose of V. vulnificus compared with those of the UHKB. These results suggested that UHKB administered by oral route was very effective method to prevent the contamination of V vulnificus in flounder, and did not show the increased antigenicity by coating the surface with acid-resistant film.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2003

Background: In kidney transplantation, donor specific transfusion may induce tolerance as a result of some immune regulatory cells against the graft. In organ transplantation, the immune state arises from a relationship between the immunocompromised graft and the immunocompetent host. However, a reverse immunological situation exists between the graft and the host in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In addition, early IL-2 injections after an allogeneic murine HSCT have been shown to prevent lethal graft versus host disease (GVHD) due to CD4+ cells. We investigated the induction of the regulatory CD4+CD25+ cells after a transfusion of irradiated recipient cells with IL-2 into a donor. Methods: The splenocytes (SP) were obtained from 6 week-old BALB/c mice ($H-2^d$) and irradiated as a single cell suspension. The donor mice (C3H/He, $H-2^k$) received $5{\times}10^6$ irradiated SP, and 5,000 IU IL-2 injected intraperitoneally on the day prior to HSCT. The CD4+CD25+ cell populations in SP treated C3H/He were analyzed. In order to determine the in vivo effect of CD4+CD25+ cells, the lethally irradiated BALB/c were transplanted with $1{\times}10^7$ donor BM and $5{\times}10^6$ CD4+CD25+ cells. The other recipient mice received either $1{\times}10^7$ donor BM with $5{\times}10^6$ CD4+ CD25- cells or the untreated SP. The survival and GVHD was assessed daily by a clinical scoring system. Results: In the MLR assay, BALB/c SP was used as a stimulator with C3H/He SP, as a responder, with or without treatment. The inhibition of proliferation was $30.0{\pm}13%$ compared to the control. In addition, the MLR with either the CD4+CD25+ or CD4+CD25- cells, which were isolated by MidiMacs, from the C3H/He SP treated with the recipient SP and IL-2 was evaluated. The donor SP treated with the recipient cells and IL-2 contained more CD4+CD25+ cells ($5.4{\pm}1.5%$) than the untreated mice SP ($1.4{\pm}0.3%$)(P<0.01). There was a profound inhibition in the CD4+CD25+ cells ($61.1{\pm}6.1%$), but a marked proliferation in the CD4+CD25- cells ($129.8{\pm}65.2%$). Mice in the CD4+CD25+ group showed low GVHD scores and a slow progression from the post-HSCT day 4 to day 9, but those in the control and CD4+CD25- groups had a high score and rapid progression (P<0.001). The probability of survival was 83.3% in the CD4+CD25+ group until post-HSC day 35 and all mice in the control and CD4+CD25- groups died on post-HSCT day 8 or 9 (P=0.0105). Conclusion: Donor graft engineering with irradiated recipient SP and IL-2 (recipient specific transfusion) can induce abundant regulatory CD4+CD25+ cells to prevent GVHD.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2004

Hot water-extracts prepared from Cordyceps militaris of silkworm pupa (CMP) or Cordyceps militaris of silkworm larva (CML) were tested for tumor growth inhibitory and immunomodulatory activities in ICR mice bearing sarcoma-180 cells solid tumor, and compared with those of the known compound, cordycepin, found in Cordyceps militaris. Mice were subcutaneously injected with sarcoma-180 cells, and i.p. injected with either saline (Control), 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg of CMP (CMP50 or CMP100, respectively), or CML (CML50 or CML100, respectively), or 1 or 2 mg/kg of cordycepin (C1 or C2, respectively) for 10 days. Mice injected with CMP50 or CMP100 showed a 47.3% or 57.6% inhibition in the solid tumor growth (P<0.05), while those injected with CML50 or CML100 exhibited a 35.5% or 37.1% reduction (p<0.05) in solid tumor size compared to the value for control mice treated with saline. Animals injected with corcycepin showed a 26∼30% inhibition in the solid tumor growth (P<0.05). Mice bearing solid tumor and injected with CMP or CML showed a significantly increased thymus weight (38∼44% increase), lymphocyte percentages of CD4+ T-cell, CD8+ T-cell, and NK-cell (63∼110% increase) in the spleen, and interleukin-2 excretion (33∼51% increase) by the isolated splenocytes compared to those in control mice (p<0.05). These results indicate that the anti-tumor activity of hot water extracts of Cordyceps militaris, raised on both silkworm pupa and silkworm larva, appears to be associated with their immunomodulatory activity, and these activities found in Cordyceps militaris are superior to those for the single compound, cordycepin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.377-382
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• 2007

This study was designed to investigate the effect of Plebeiae Herba (Salvia plebeia R. Br.) on the proliferation of AGS cell lines and the activation of splenocytes. In an anti-cancer test using AGS cells, water and ethanol extracts of Plebeiae Herba inhibited the growth of AGS cell lines and morphological changes were also observed in a dose-dependent manner. Water extract of Plebeiae Herba showed growth-inhibitory effect of 43.3% at $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ and 69.7% at $3,000{\mu}g/mL$. Ethanol extracts of Plebeiae Herba showed growth-inhibitory effect of approximately 37.3% for $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ and 75.8% for $3,000{\mu}g/mL$. The Plebeiae Herba induced the proliferation of spleen cells and increased interleukin (IL)-2, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$. In conclusion, these results suggest that the Plebeiae Herba seems to have antiproliferationg effect against the AGS cell and acts as a potent immunomodulator.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.150-155
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• 2003

Background: We investigated the effect of donor marrow T cell depletion, administration of FK506, cyclosporin A (CSA), and 3-deazaadenosine (DZA) on graft versus host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic murine hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: We used 4 to 6 week old Balb/c ($H-2^d$, recipient), and C3H/He ($H-2^k$, donor) mice. Total body irradiated recipients received $1{\times}10^7$ bone marrow cells (BM) and $0.5{\times}10^7$ splenocytes of donor under FK506 (36 mg/kg/day), CSA (5 mg/kg/day, 20 mg/kg/day), and DZA (45 mg/kg/day), which were injected intraperitoneally from day 1 to day 14 daily and then three times a week for another 2 weeks. To prevent the GVHD, irradiated Balb/c mice were transplanted with $1{\times}10^7$ rotor-off (R/O) cells of donor BM. The severity of GVHD was assessed daily by clinical scoring method. Results: All experimental groups were well grafted after HSCT. Mice in experimental group showed higher GVHD score and more rapid progression of GVHD than the mice with R/O cells (R/O group) (p<0.01). There were relatively low GVHD scores and slow progressions in FK506 and low dose CSAgroups than high dose CSA group (p<0.01). The survival was better in FK506 group than low dose CSA group. All mice treated with CSA died within 12 days after HSCT. The GVHD score in DZA group was low and slow in comparison with control group (p<0.05), but severity and progression were similar with low dose CSA group (p=0.11). All mice without immunosuppressive treatment died within 8 days, but all survived in R/O group (p<0.01). Survival in low dose CSA group was longer than in control group (p<0.05), but in high dose CSA group, survival was similar to control group. The survival benefit in DZA group was similar with low dose CSA group. FK506 group has the best survival benefit than other groups (p<0.01), comparable with R/O group (p=0.18), although probability of survival was 60%. Conclusion: We developed lethal GVHD model after allogeneic murine HSCT. In this model, immunosuppressive agents showed survival benefits in prevention of GVHD. DZA showed similar survival benefits to low dose CSA. We propose that DZA can be used as a new immunosuppressive agent to prevent GVHD after allogeneic HSCT.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.1145-1152
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• 2009

For the utilization of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) in the functional drink, we prepared the fermented Korean ginseng with mushroom mycelia (Ganoderma lucidum; WG-GL, Hericium erinaceum; WG-HE and Phellinus linteus; WG-PL) by solid culture. A proximate analysis showed that the fermented Korean ginseng contained significantly more crude fat (4.66$\sim$12.02%) than Korean ginseng (WG, 1.61%) whereas crude protein content of WG (13.64%) was higher value than those of the ferments (7.60$\sim$12.57%). When we also evaluated effects of the fermented Korean ginseng on the mitogenic activity, hot-water extract from WG-PL was significantly higher than those of WG or mycelia only fermentation (GL, HE and PL) as analyzed by IL-2 production (1.64-fold of the saline control) and proliferation of splenocytes (1.47-fold). In addition, the lysosomal phosphatase activity (WG-HE; 1.32-fold) and NO/TNF-$\alpha$ production (WG-HE; 2.27-fold of the saline control at 50 ${\mu}g$/mL, WG-PL; 3.56-fold, respectively) from macrophage in the presence of the fermented Korean ginseng were higher than those of WG or mycelia fermentation. These results indicate that hot-water extracts from the fermented Korean ginseng with mushroom mycelia by solid culture contain chemical ingredients different from the Korean ginseng, and that it might provide beneficial immunostimulating activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.905-911
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• 2020

The adjuvant effect of PAMAM dendrimer G4 (PAMAM) on the induction of humoral and cellular immune responses against keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) was examined. Mice were immunized subcutaneously twice at two-week intervals with KLH, with or without PAMAM dendrimer (100 ㎍/mouse), and the mice immunized with KLH+PAMAM showed significantly higher antibody titers against KLH than those immunized with KLH alone. The assay for determining the isotypes of the antibodies showed that PAMAM augmented the KLH-specific antibody titers of IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, and IgM. In addition, mice immunized twice with KLH+PAMAM followed by a subcutaneous injection of KLH (20 ㎍/site) 7 weeks after the primary immunization exhibited a higher delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction than those treated with KLH alone. In an in vitro analysis of T lymphocyte proliferation in response to KLH in week 8, the splenocytes of mice treated with KLH+PAMAM showed significantly higher proliferating activity than those treated with KLH alone, and the culture supernatants of cell cultures from mice immunized with added PAMAM dendrimer showed higher levels of KLH-specific cytokine (IL-4 and IFN-r) production. These results suggest that PAMAM dendrimer G4 possesses a potent immune-adjuvant activity for enhancing both humoral and cell-mediated immunity specific to foreign antigens.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.574-579
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• 2008

Propolis is the generic term for the resinous substance collected by honey bees from a variety of plant sources. In this study, we have assessed the immunomodulatory properties of propolis (P) and fermented-propolis (FP) in BALB/c mice. Mice were subjected to gavage once a day (for 14 days) with 50, 100, 200 mg/kg body weight P, FP, or vehicle. Lymphocytes were isolated from the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and the immune cell proportions, proliferative activities, and cytokine production were evaluated. The P- and FP-administration induced similar, but differential, alterations in the percentage of immune cell populations and their biological functions, including cytokine production and NK cell cytotoxicity. The proportion of$ CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$ T cells in the spleen was increased slightly in the P- and FP-administered mice as compared to the vehicle-treated mice. In MLN, the percentage of $CD4^+$ T cells was increased significantly in the 200 mg/kg P-treated mice. The mice which were treated with P and FP evidenced significantly increased interferon-$\gamma$ and interleukin-4 production in concanavalin A-stimulated splenocytes, whereas the production of theses cytokines was not shown to be induced by P-treatment. In addition, NK cell activity was also increased dramatically by the administration of P and FP. Collectively, these findings showed that P and FP are wide-spectrum immunomodulators, which may modulate both innate and adaptive immune responses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.904-910
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• 2006

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the only antigen presenting cells (APCs) capable of initiating immune responses, which is crucial for priming the specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response and tumor immunity. Upon activation by DCs, CD4+ helper T cells can cross-prime CD8+ CTLs via IL-12. However, recently activated DCs were described to prime in vitro strong T helper cell type 1 $(Th_1)$ responses, whereas at later time points, they preferentially prime $Th_2$ cells. Therfore, we examined in this study the optimum kinetic state of DCs activation impacted on in vivo priming of tumor-specific CTLs by using ovalbumin (OVA) tumor antigen model. Bone-marrow-derived DCs showed an appropriate expression of surface MHC and costimulatory molecules after 6 or 7-day differentiation. The 6-day differentiated DCs pulsed with OVA antigen for 8 h (8-h DC) and followed by restimulation with LPS for 24 h maintained high interleukin (IL)-12 production potential, accompanying the decreased level in their secretion by delayed re-exposure time to LPS. Furthermore, immunization with 8-h DC induced higher intracellular $interferon(IFN)-{\gamma}+/CD8+T$ cells and elicited more powerful cytotoxicity of splenocytes to EG7 cells, a clone of EL4 cells transfected with an OVA cDNA, than immunization with 24-h DC. In the animal study for the evaluation of therapeutic or protective antitumor immunity, immunization with 8-h DC induced an effective antitumor immunity against tumor of EG7 cells and completely protected mice from tumor formation and prolonged survival, respectively. The most commonly used and clinically applied DC-based vaccine is based on in vitro antigen loading for 24 h. However, our data indicated that antigen stimulation over 8 h decreased antitumor immunity with functional exhaustion of DCs, and that the 8-h DC would be an optimum activation state impacted on in vivo priming of tumor-specific CTLs and subsequently lead to induction of strong antitumor immunity.