• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 2002

Background: Scid.adh is a recently developed murine thymic lymphoma cell line, which has been used as in vitro model for the study of double negative stage III thymocytes. In this study, we compared the expression profile of a number of genes and proteins, which are tightly related to T cell development and apoptosis, in thymic lymphoma cell lines, R1.1, EL-4, and Scid.adh for the developmental staging. Methods: We examined the expression of development marker genes and proteins in three lymphoma cell lines by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related molecules including bcl-2, bax and Fas was also investigated. Results: As previously reported, Scid.adh cell line expressed CD8 and CD25 but not TCR ${\alpha}$ chain, while R1.1 cells expressed TCR ${\alpha}$ chain and both CD4 and CD8 transcripts. These suggest that R1.1 might be in double positive stage, and low level of CD44 expression and the absence of CD25 support this suggestion. In contrast, EL-4 cells showed high level of TCR ${\alpha}$ chain transcript, and low-level of CD4 expression, suggesting that EL-4 is in more mature stage than R1.1. Further, this suggestion was supported by the lack of mT-20 in EL-4 cells, which is expressed in the immature thymocytes, and Scid.adh and R1.1 cell lines, but not in the terminally differentiated thymocytes and peripheral T cells. Among the apoptosis-related gene, transcripts of bcl-2 gene were detected in both R1.1 and EL-4 but not in Scid.adh cells, while bax was expressed in all cell lines. Fas expression was the highest in EL-4 cells and low in Scid.adh cell line. Conclusion: R1.1 cell may represent double positive stage, and EL-4 is more differentiated cell line. In addition, Scid.adh and EL-4 cell lines are suspected to be useful for the study of function of bcl-2 family and Fas during the thymocyte development, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2018

Background: Korean ginseng has been widely evaluated to treat human diseases; however, most studies on Korean ginseng have focused on its root. In this study, polysaccharides [acidic-polysaccharide-linked glycopeptide (APGP) extracted with 90% ethanol and hot water] were prepared from Korean ginseng berries, and their effect on immunosenescence was explored. Methods: The effect of APGP on thymic involution was evaluated by measuring the size of thymi dissected from aged mice. The effect of APGP on populations of immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells, age-correlated CD11c-positive B cells, and several subtypes of T cells [CD4-positive, CD8-positive, and regulatory (Treg) T cells] in the thymi and spleens of aged mice was analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-6 were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. Profiles of APGP components were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Results: APGP suppressed thymic involution by increasing the weight and areas of thymi in aged mice. APGP increased the population of NK cells, but showed no effect on the population of dendritic cells in the thymi and spleens of aged mice. APGP decreased the population of age-correlated CD11c-positive B cells in the spleens of aged mice. APGP showed no effect on the populations of CD4- and CD8-positive T cells in the thymi of aged mice, whereas it increased the population of Treg cells in the spleens of aged mice. APGP further decreased the reduced serum levels of IL-2 in aged mice, but serum levels of IL-6 were not statistically changed by APGP in aged mice. Finally, HPLC analysis showed that APGP had one major peak at 15 min (a main type of polysaccharide) and a long tail up to 35 min (a mixture of a variety of types of polysaccharides). Conclusion: These results suggested that APGP exerted an anti-immunosenescent effect by suppressing thymic involution and modulating several types of immune cells.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.671-682
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• 2019

Objective: To investigate whether computed tomography (CT) and fluorine-18-labeled fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) may be applied to distinguish thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) from benign cysts in the anterior mediastinum. Materials and Methods: We included 262 consecutive patients with pathologically proven TETs and benign cysts 5 cm or smaller who underwent preoperative CT scans. In addition to conventional morphological and ancillary CT findings, the relationship between the lesion and the adjacent mediastinal pleura was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. Mean lesion attenuation was measured on CT images. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was obtained with FDG-PET scans in 40 patients. CT predictors for TETs were identified with multivariate logistic regression analysis. For validation, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy and inter-observer agreement between four radiologists in a size-matched set of 24 cysts and 24 TETs using a receiver operating characteristic curve before and after being informed of the study findings. Results: The multivariate analysis showed that post-contrast attenuation of 60 Hounsfield unit or higher (odds ratio [OR], 12.734; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.506-64.705; p = 0.002) and the presence of protrusion from the mediastinal pleura (OR, 9.855; 95% CI, 1.749-55.535; p = 0.009) were the strongest CT predictors for TETs. SUVmax was significantly higher in TETs than in cysts (5.3 ± 2.4 vs. 1.1 ± 0.3; p < 0.001). After being informed of the study findings, the readers' area under the curve improved from 0.872-0.955 to 0.949-0.999 (p = 0.066-0.149). Inter-observer kappa values for protrusion were 0.630-0.941. Conclusion: Post-contrast CT attenuation, protrusion from the mediastinal pleura, and SUVmax were useful imaging features for distinguishing TETs from cysts in the anterior mediastinum.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2004

Thymolipoma is a rare benign mediastinal tumor, composed of mature fatty and thymic tissues. A 9-year-old boy was referred with a one-month history of neck swelling. Preoperative computed tomography scan and fine needle aspiration biopsy suggested thymolipoma. Despite it being rare, thymolipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. Characteristics of its clinical feature and radiological findings that can differentiated it from other mediastinal tumors are discussed with a review of the literatures.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.70-81
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• 1987

To elucidate action mechanism of lyophyllan A, an antitumor polysaccharide of Lyophyllum decastes, its immunological activities were examined. Lyophyllan A increased significantly the weights of spleen and liver of mice. Lyophyllan A also restored the decreased thymic weight in tumor-bearing mice. It did not show any direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells, but showed immunopotentiating activities by increasing the number of the plaques in hemolytic plaque assays. Lyophyllan A increased the number of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and inhibited the growth of sarcoma 180 mixed with PEC. Moreover the macrophages from lyophyllan A-treated mice exhibited a strong cytotoxic activity towards L5178Y target cells.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.325-329
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• 1992

The thymolipoma is rather rare benign tumor of the thymus. One case of huge thymolipoma, seen in a 11-year-old boy, is presented. It is about 2.16kg. He had some chest discomfort. The chest film showed homogeneous haziness fills the left hemithorax, On chest CT scan, multiple small amorphous soft tissue densities were recognized as islands within a large fatty mass. Tumor resection was performed through left anterolateral thoracotomy. The mass was yellowish soft, measured 29x19Xllcm, 12X7.5x3.5cm, 7.0X3.0X1.0cm. Microscopically, the tumor was comprised of abundant mature adipose tissue and normal thymic tissue.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.299-302
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• 1982

Cystic hygroma is benign overgrowth of the lymphatic vessels and is usually located in the neck, but rare in the mediastinum. This vascular tumor may appear in any portion of mediastinum, but seems to be most common anteriorly. This is a report of one case of congenital mediastinal cystic hygroma in a 25 years old man, especially in the thymic location which was surgically removed successfully with good postoperative result and confirmed histopathologically.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.39-40
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• 1995

Thymopoietin(TP) was originally isolated from bovine thymic extracts on the basis of its ability to affect neuromuscular transmission when injected into mice (Goldstein, 1974). A 49 amino acid polypeptide was isolated and sequenced (Schlesinger and Goldstein, 1975). It is now evident that this molecule was created by proteolytic cleavage of larger thymopoietin proteins during isolation, and represents the N-terminal sequence of these proteins. Nevertheless, this proteolytic fragment was active in both neurophysiological and immunological experiments, and enabled the identification of an active pentapeptide. (amino acids 32 to 36, Arg-Lys-Asp-Val-Tyr, thymopentin), which. has been studied as an immunomodulatory drug.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.859-866
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• 1985

The characteristic features of myasthenia gravis, which are weakness of voluntary muscle and easy fatigability, result from defective neuromuscular transmission caused by an autoimmune response to acetylcholine receptor. Recently, we performed two cases of thymectomy for the treatment of myasthenia gravis, one was 50 year old man who had malignant thymoma and the other was 19 year old girl who had benign thymic hyperplasia. The former had long duration of symptoms, and showed poor postoperative result. The latter had short duration of symptoms, and showed complete remission. Herewith, we suggest that early thymectomy can give the clinical assets for myasthenia gravis. So we report these two experiences with review of literatures.

• CELLMED
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.29.1-29.9
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• 2012

The prevalence of allergic disease has been increasing over the past few decades in the majority of Western industrialized nations. There are some socioeconomic disparities regarding allergic disease status and management. Pyeongwee-San (KMP6) is Korean medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal tract disease. It is known that KMP6 has an improving effect on the spleen and stomach functions in traditional Korean medical theory. Here, we hypothesized that KMP6 could be used to regulate the inflammatory reaction. We show the molecular mechanisms of Pyeongwee-San (KMP6) on inflammatory reactions. A molecular docking simulation showed that hesperidin, component of KMP6, regulate the enzymatic activity by interaction in the active site of caspase-1. KMP6 control the activity of caspase-1 in activated human mast cell line (HMC-1 cells). KMP6 reduced the expression of receptor interacting protein (RIP)-2 in HMC-1 cells. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin protein production and mRNA expression were inhibited by KMP6. In the activated HMC-1 cells, KMP6 suppressed the activation of mitogen-ativated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappaB. In addition, KMP6 significantly inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Our findings indicate that KMP6 may attenuate allergic reactions via the regulation of caspase-1/RIP-2 signaling pathway. These studies will help advance the social welfare system.