Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) is an essential cytokine for osteoclast differentiation, activation and survival. T lymphocytes such as T₁₇ cells, a subset of T helper cells that produce IL-17, play an important role in rheumatoid arthritic bone resorption by producing inflammatory cytokines and RANKL. It has not yet been clearly elucidated how T cell activation induces RANKL expression. T cell receptor activation induces the activation of nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) and expression of its target genes. In this study, we examined the role of NFAT in T cell activation- induced RANKL expression. EL-4, a murine T lymphocytic cell line, was used. When T cell activation was induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, RANKL expression increased in a time-dependent manner. In the presence of cyclosporin, an inhibitor of NFAT activation, this PMA/ionomycin‐induced RANKL expression was blocked. Overexpression of either NFATc1 or NFATc3 induced RANKL expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results demonstrated that PMA/ionomycin treatment induced the binding of NFATc1 and NFATc3 to the mouse RANKL gene promoter. These results suggest that NFATc1 and NFATc3 mediates T cell receptor activationinduced RANKL expression in T lymphocytes.

Chronic hyperplastic candidiasis (CHC) is characterized by epithelial hyperplasia of the oral mucosa associated with candidal hyphae. The immune status of host is one of the factors that induce clinically evident candidal infection. Host defense mechanisms include inflammatory cells, epithelial barrier, and antimicrobial peptides such as human beta 2 defensin (hBD-2). In the present study, we investigated the densities of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes and hBD-2 expression of epithelial cells in CHC. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 10 cases of CHC using CD4, CD8 and hBD-2. Ten specimens of chronic mucositis were selected for comparison, and went through the same examination. hBD-2 was expressed in the spinous cell layers and the keratin layers of 7 CHC patients, while the epithelium of chronic mucositis did not demonstrate the hBD-2 expression except for one case. Also, hBD-2 expression was stronger when the hyphae invaded the upper stratum spinosum (P =.019). However, the densities of CD8+ T lymphocytes were significantly lower in the CHC patients, suggesting that the ability of CD8+ T cells to enter the epithelium and target the pathogenic hyphae was decreased in CHC. Increased hBD-2 expression seemed to be significantly associated with the candidal infection, while not promoting the cell-mediated immune reaction in CHC.

NOD/SCID 마우스는 선천성 면역결핍을 지닌 마우스로서 이종 세포 및 조직 이식을 위한 실험동물로서 가장 많이 활용되고 있다. 본 연구는 돼지의 골수조직에서 채취한 조혈줄기세포를 면역결핍마우스의 정맥 주입을 통하여 생체 내 주입을 실시한 결과, 마우스의 조혈조직에서 대단히 높은 돼지 T 면역세포의 증식이 관찰되었다. 유세포 분석기를 이용해 돼지 골수 조혈세포 생체 이식 6주의 마우스에서의 돼지 T 면역세포의 증식과 분화 특성을 분석한 결과, 마우스 조혈조직인 골수(5.4±1.9%), 비장(15.4±7.3%), 간(21.3±1.4%), 림프절(33.5±32.8%)에서 돼지 조혈줄기세포 유래 T 세포의 증식과 분화가 관찰되었고, 돼지 helper T 세포와 cytotoxic T 세포의 발달도 확인되었다. 또한 조직 면역염색을 통하여 마우스의 비장조직에 이식한 돼지 면역세포의 증식을 관찰하였다. 본 연구는 NOD/SCID 마우스를 이용해 돼지 조혈줄기세포로부터 T 면역세포로의 분화 및 발달과정을 생체 내에서 분석할 수 있는 유용한 동물모델로서 이용할 수 있음을 보여준다.

We previously examined extracts, isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis (SB), chemical mediators, and IgE by mesenteric lymph node (MLN) lymphocytes in rats. The present study was to evaluate the effects of extracts of SB on the MLN lymphocytes function of mice given orally by 20 mg/kg for 2 weeks with dextran sulfate sodium (DS)-induced colitis. Results show that IgE levels in MLN lymphocytes was low, while IgA was high, in mice given SB compared to that fed water. Concentrations of Inteferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-2 of T cells by concanavalin A treatment was significantly higher in the SB fed group than the normal group. Activation-induced IL-4 and IL-10 secretion was lower in SB fed mice compared control mice after DS-induced colitis. These results suggested that SB suppresses the inflammation in DS-induced colitis through the modulation of Th1/Th2 balance to down-regulate TH2 response in MLN lymphocytes.

Phellinus linteus (PL), one of the immune-regulatory substances, is recognized to play the role in the metabolic process on inflammation and immunity. It has been traditionally used in the oriental medicine to treat inflammatory related disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water extracts of PL on the mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes immune function in the ICR male mice. Control mice received vehicle only. The PL treated mice were administered the respective extract by oral gavages for 4 weeks. IgE concentrations in serum and MLN lymphocytes were significantly lower in PL treated mice than in control mice. PL increased the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in MLN lymphocytes. PL significantly decreased Th2 cytokine concentrations and mRNA expression levels in cytokine secretions. Therefore, water extracts of PL modulate inflammatory parameters through regulation of immunoglobulin production resulting from decreased Th2 cytokine secretion and mRNA expression levels and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and mRNA expression in MLN lymphocytes.