The gingival epithelium of the oral cavity is constantly exposed to exogenous stimuli such as bacterial toxins, allergens, and thermal changes. These exogenous stimuli are resisted by innate host defense in gingival epithelial cells. However, it is unclear exactly how the exogenous stimuli affect detrimentally on the human gingival epithelial cells. Here, we investigated whether the allergen, such as house dust mite (HDM) extract, is linked to Ca2+ signaling and proinflammatory cytokine expression in primary cultured human gingival epithelial cells. HDM extract induced an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner. Extracellular Ca2+ depletion did not affected on the HDM extract-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. The HDM extractinduced increase in [Ca2+]i was abolished by the treatment with U73122 and 2-APB, which are inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor. Moreover, HDM extract induced the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-8. These results suggest that HDM extract triggers PLC/IP3-dependent Ca2+ signaling and IL-8 mRNA expression in primary cultured human gingival epithelial cells.

The nutritional composition of polished (unparboiled rice) and parboiled rice was compared using three high-yielding Tong-il types. Crude protein, crude lipid, and crude ash of proximate composition after parboiling were higher than those in polished rice. In terms of mineral composition, K scored the highest followed by P, Mg. Ca, and Na. All the compositions increased after parboiling except in Ca. The total content of mineral composition of polished and parboiled rice were 257.5-276.5 mg/100 g, and 533.2-588.6 mg/100 g, respectively, which resulted in 2.1 times increase after parboiling. Vitamin B1 content was the highest among the polished rice of the Dasan cultivar with 0.1530 mg/100 g and increase in parboiled rice by 2.0 times. The total amino acid content was highest in the polished rice of the Dasan cultivar. An increase in amino acid content in Saegyejinmi cultivars was observed after parboiling while the others showed a decrease. In terms of essential amino acid content, the highest was leucine while the lowest was methionine. Glutamic acid scored the highest and cystine the lowest in terms of non-essential amino acid content.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is an important pathogen in the development of localized aggressive periodontitis. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a virulent factor of periodontal pathogens that contributes to alveolar bone loss and connective tissue degradation in periodontal disease. Our present study was designed to investigate the cytokine expression and signaling pathways regulated by A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS (Aa LPS). Cytokine gene expression profiling in RAW 264.7 cells was performed by microarray analyses. The cytokine mRNA and protein levels and related signaling pathways induced by Aa LPS were measured by RT-PCR, ELISA and western blotting. Microarray results showed that Aa LPS strongly induced the expression of NF-κB, NF-κB-related genes, inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells. NF-κB inhibitor pretreatment significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA and protein. In addition, the Aa LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-1β expression was inhibited by p38/JNK MAP kinase inhibitor pretreatment. These results show that Aa LPS stimulates TNF-α and IL-1β expression through NF-κB and p38/JNK activation in RAW 264.7 cells, suggesting the essential role of this pathway in the pathogenesis of localized aggressive periodontitis.

생체 내 실험에서 발효 인삼꽃 추출물(FM), 발효하지 않은 인삼꽃 추출물(FD)과 대조군으로 생리식염수를 2주간 마우스 체중 ㎏ 당 100, 200 ㎎/㎏ B.W.의 농도로 마우스에 경구 투여한 후 LPS에 의해 활성화된 복강 대식세포가 분비하는 염증성 사이토카인 IL-6, TNF-α의 생성량을 측정하였다. 그 결과, IL-6는 발효 LPS로 자극한 경우, 두 가지 농도에서 모두 처리한 군에 비해 높은 증식능을 나타내었고, LPS로 자극한 결과, 특히 발효 인삼꽃 추출물 200 ㎎/㎏ B.W. 농도에서 유의적으로 낮은 IL-6 분비량을 보였다. TNF-α의 경우, 100 ㎎/㎏ B.W.와 200 ㎎/㎏ B.W. 두 농도 모두에서 LPS로 자극하지 않은 경우, 낮은 증식 효과를 보여주었고, 자극한 경우, 인삼꽃 시료를 첨가한 군이 대조군보다 낮은 TNF-α 분비량을 보였으며, FM에서 FD보다 더 TNF-α를 억제하는 효과가 큰 것을 볼 수 있었다. 이상의 결과에 따르면 FD의 사이토카인 IL-6, TNF-α 생성 효과는 200 ㎎/㎏ B.W. 농도 투여 시 효과적으로 면역 세포와 면역 기관의 주요 기능을 증진시킬 가능성이 있을 것으로 사료된다. 이러한 연구결과를 토대로 앞으로 인삼꽃 발효를 이용한 기능성 사료 개발과 더불어 산업적 측면에서 보다 긍정적인 효과를 얻을 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

Leptin is one of the adipocytokines produced from adi- pose tissue but its functions in periodontal tissue have not previously been investigated. In our current study, we exa- mined the effects of leptin on the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in periodontal ligament (PDL) cells and gingival fibroblasts. Leptin receptor expression was evalua- ted by RT-PCR and the production of cytokines was mea- sured by ELISA. The phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 was assessed by western blotting. mRNA of long and short form leptin receptors were detected in both PDL cells and gingival fibroblasts. Leptin was found to increase the pro- duction of IL-6 and IL-8 in both of these cell types, an effect which was not blocked by polymyxin B, an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Leptin did not alter the pro- duction of IL-6 and IL-8 induced by LPS in PDL cells but increased Akt and Erk1/2 phosphorylation in these cells. These results suggest that leptin acts as an inducer of IL-6 and IL-8 in PDL cells and gingival fibroblasts.

영화가 문화를 반영하고 재현하는 기능을 지닌 훌륭한 문화 텍스트라는 점 은 다양한 논의를 통해 이미 확인된 바 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 상이 한 문화를 지닌 두 개 이상의 지역에서 생산된 영화 텍스트를 비교 분석함으로써, 영화를 통해 문화의 차이를 이해할 수 있음을 검증하고자 했다. 문화의 차이를 비교하는 준거로는 ‘고 맥락’과 ‘저 맥락’으로 유형화 되는 에드워 드 홀의 커뮤니케이션에 있어서의 맥락 의존도 차이에 주목하였으며, 비교 대상이 되는 텍스트로는 한국에서 2000년에 제작된 영화 <시월애>(감독 이현승)와 이 영화를 원작으로 하여 미국에서 2006년에 리메이크 된 영화 <레이크 하우스>(감 독 알레한드로 아그레스티)를 선택하였다. 영화의 리메이크란 기존에 있던 영화를 시대적, 문화적 배경에 맞추어 재생산 하는 행위를 말하는데 특히 외국에서 리메 이크 되는 경우, 원작의 장점을 유지하면서도 영화가 만들어지는 지역이나 국가의 문화적 특성에 맞추기 위해 통합체적 구조는 그대로 유지한 채 계열체적 구조만을 변형시키는 경우가 많아, 원작과 리메이크 영화의 짝패는 그들이 반영하고 있는 문화 요소의 체계적인 비교에 적합하다는 장점이 있다. 본 연구의 비교의 틀이 되 는 통합체와 계열체 분석에는 기호학적 분석 방법을 도입하였다. 연구 결과, 영화의 통합체 분석에서는 두 텍스트의 차이가 거의 나타나지 않았 지만, 계열체 분석에서는 상대적으로 고 맥락 문화를 가진 한국 영화에서 맥락도 가 높고, 저 맥락 문화를 가진 미국 영화에서 맥락도가 낮은 요소들이 다양하게 발견되는 유의미한 결과를 도출하였다.

2011년 7월부터 2012년 2월에 걸쳐 광양만, 목포 내항, 신안 비금도 주변해역의 퇴적물의 강열감량(IL), COD, 황화수소(H₂S)와 퇴적물 중금속의 함량을 조사하여 해저 퇴적물의 오염도를 평가하였다. 아울러 중금속의 농집지수(Muller, 1979)를 이용하여 퇴적물의 오염도를 평가하였다. COD, H₂S, IL를 이용한 저질의 오염 정도는 신안 비금해역이 I등급, 광양만은 II등급으로 나타났다.

Corn has been used for a long time as a traditional remedy, as well as a food source. We previously reported that in vitro supplementation of corn water extracts enhanced the proliferation of splenocytes, compared to the control group. In this study, we examined the immunomodulative effect of a water extract of corn. Seven to eight weeks old mice(Balb/c) were fed an ad libitum chow diet, and were orally administrated a water extract of corn every other day, for four weeks, at two different concentrations(50 and 500 ㎎/㎏ B.W). Cytokine production(IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ) by macrophages stimulated with LPS or not stimulated with LPS was detected by ELISA assay using the cytokine kit. In an ex vivo study, the cytokines IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ were detected at 500 ㎎/㎏ b.w. supplementation group with LPS stimulation in all cases. Also, the ratio of IFN-γ to IL-10 was in the range of 0～3 with mitogen stimulation, such as con A and LPS. In conclusion, this study suggests that in mice, corn extracts may enhance immune function by regulating the cytokine production(IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ) of the activated macrophages.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of macrophages on growth of human colon cancer cells. The results showed that co-culture of colon cancer cells with macrophages inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells (HCT116 and SW620) depending on the number of macrophages, RAW 264.7 cells, and activated THP-1 cells accompanied by down regulation of pSTAT3 in cancer cells. We also found that expression and release of cancer cell growth inhibitory cytokines, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and IL-10, was increased in macrophages. Blocking of the STAT3 pathway with specific inhibitor and siRNA of STAT3 abolished the growth of colon cancer cells and expression of IL-1ra and IL-10. In addition, neutralization of IL-1ra and IL-10 with antibodies resulted in reversal of macrophage-induced inhibition of cancer cell growth. These data showed that IL-1ra and IL-10 released from macrophages inhibit growth of colon cancer cells through inhibition of the STAT3 pathway.

Chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn′s disease and ulcerative colitis are associated with increased risk of colon adenocarcinoma. Apoptic induction of colon cancer cells by cytokines and death receptors is an important anti-cancer therapy. We observed that co-administration of TNFα and IFNγ in human colon cancer cell line, HCT116, resulted in cell death and expression of IL-32. Cleavage forms of caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP were increased in TNFα / IFNγ-treated HCT116. mRNA expression of death receptors, including TNFR1 and Fas were not changed and NO generation was not induced by combination of TNFα and IFNγ. However, mRNA expression of IL-32α, β, and γ was increased in TNFα / IFNγ-treated HCT116. To determine the effect of IL-32 in HCT116 cell apoptosis by TNFα / IFNγ stimulation, IL-32 siRNA-transfected HCT116 cells were cultured with TNFα / IFNγ and cell proliferation was measured. IL-32 siRNA induced slight recovery of cell viability of TNFα / IFNγ-stimulated HCT116. These results suggest that IL-32 is not directly related to apoptosis of HCT116 by TNFα / IFNγ stimulation. However, IL-32 expression by TNFα or TNFα / IFNγ in a colon cancer cell line is very interesting because of the unknown effect of IL-32 in colon cancer. Our study will contribute to development of studies for IL-32 function in human colon cancer and anti-cancer therapies using cytokines.

We have previously produced transgenic (TG) mice expressing the human lactoferrin (hLF), interleukin-10 (hIL-10), and thrombopoietin (hTPO) proteins in the milk. In this study, we examined whether simple crossbreeding between two kids of a single transgenic mouse can produce double transgenics co-expressing two human proteins.. The hLF male, and the hIL-10 male were crossbred with the hIL-10 and hTPO females, and the hTPO female, respectively. PCR analysis for genotyping showed 32%, 23% and 24% double transgenic rates for hLF/hIL-10, hLF/hTPO, and hIL-10/hTPO transgenes, respectively. We analyzed the expression levels of the human proteins from double transgenic mice and compared those with their single transgenic siblings. All double transgenic co-expressed two human proteins at comparable levels to singles', unless hTPO was not co-expressed: for hLF, 1.1 mg/ml in hLF/hIL-10, whereas 0.5 mg/ml in hLF/hTPO; for hIL-10, 4.1 mg/ml in hIL-10/hLF, whereas 1.4 mg/ml in hIL-10/hTPO. Ihe downregulation of hTPO to half level of singles' was observed in double transgenic mice. The possible reason why hTPO co-expressed might lead to down-regulation of another human protein was discussed. These results suggested that double transgenic generated by crossbreeding between two singles' could be useful system for bioreactor.

Cytokines play a vital role in the host immune response by regulating the development and function of im munocompetent ce11s One immunomodulatory agent that has received attention in oncology research recently is interleukin - lO(IL-lO). IL-IO inhibi ted tumor antigen presenta tion and induced energy in T lymphocytes that had been s timu lated by autologous MHC class II positive tumor ce11s Patients with head and neck cancer have been shown to exhibit profound irnmunosuppression. The mechani sm by which tumor ce11s alter immunological function in the host is poorly understood. Recently. production of biological active IL- IO was confirmed in ovar‘ian cancer, melanoma, skin cancel‘ & head and neck cancer, suggesting that IL- lO reduces the function of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and contributes to the tumor growth. IL-IO expression has not been examined extensively in human oral cancer and has not yet been cla rified. The purpose of t his study were to investigate IL-IO mRNA and protein expression in NHOK, IHOK and oral squamous ce11 carcinoma(OSCC) ce11 line by RT-PCR and irnmunoslot blotting, and to apply its results to examine its thera peutic significance for oraJ cancers. Cultured NHOK showed a lower level of IL-IO mRNA and protein expression than cultured IHOK and HN 22 OSCC cell line under pre and postconfluency. HN 22 OSCC cell line under pre and postconfl u ency. showed the highest level of IL-I0 Cul tured IHOK showing a intermediate expression of IL- IO could be as a vaJ u a bJe marker for oral carci nogenesis ste p. During the terminal differentiation of a11 the ce11 lines, IL- IO ex pression was significantly unchangeabl e. IL- IO mRNA expression of a11 the ce11 lines was consistent with IL-10 protein expression. It suggested that IL- lO expression might play an important role in oral carcinogenesis and IHOK could be a valuable marker for oral carcinogenesis step. And aJso IL- 10 related gene may be future targets for gene discovery and possi bJy therapeutic intervention