Impact of interleukin-21 in the pathogenesis of primary Sjogren's syndrome: increased serum levels of interleukin-21 and its expression in the labial salivary glands

Kang, Kwi Young,Kim, Hyun-Ok,Kwok, Seung-Ki,Ju, Ji Hyeon,Park, Kyung-Su,Sun, Dong-Il,Jhun, Joo Yeon,Oh, Hye Jwa,Park, Sung-Hwan,Kim, Ho-Youn BioMed Central 2011 ARTHRITIS RESEARCH AND THERAPY Vol.13 No.5

<P><B>Introduction</B></P><P>Interleukin (IL)-21 is a cytokine that controls the functional activity of effector T helper cells and the differentiation of Th17 cells, and promotes B-cell differentiation. To test whether IL-21 participates in the pathogenesis of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), serum IL-21 level was measured and IL-21 expression in the labial salivary glands (LSG) was examined.</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>Serum IL-21 levels in 40 primary SS, 40 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 38 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 20 healthy controls were measured. Serum IL-21 levels of SS patients were assessed for correlations with laboratory data, including anti-nuclear antibody, anti-Ro/La antibodies, globulin, immunoglobulin (Ig) class, and IgG subclass. LSGs from 16 primary SS and 4 controls with sicca symptoms were evaluated for IL-21 and IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) expression by immunohistochemistry. Confocal microscopy was performed to further characterize the IL-21 positive cells.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>Primary SS patients had significantly higher serum IL-21 levels than controls, and these increments correlated positively with levels of IgG, IgG1. Serum IgG1 levels correlated with anti-Ro antibody titers. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that lymphocytic foci and the periductal area of the LSGs from SS patients expressed high levels of IL-21 and lower levels of IL-21R, whereas the control LSGs showed minimal expression of both antigens. The more the lymphocyte infiltrated, IL-21expression in LSGs showed a tendency to increase. Confocal microscopic analyses revealed that IL-21 expressing infiltrating lymphocytes in the LSGs of SS patients also expressed CXCR5.</P><P><B>Conclusions</B></P><P>Primary SS is associated with high serum IL-21 levels that correlate positively with serum IgG, especially IgG1, levels. The expression of IL-21 is increased as more lymphocytes infiltrated in LSGs. These observations suggest that IL-21 may play an important role in primary SS pathogenesis.</P>

IL-15에 의한 류마티스관절염 환자 활막 섬유모세포에서의 SDF-1 유도

박영은 ( Young Eun Park ),김성일 ( Sung Il Kim ),박성후 ( Seong Hu Park ),백승훈 ( Seung Hoon Baek ),오혜좌 ( Hye Jwa Oh ),허양미 ( Yang Mi Heo ),조미라 ( Mi La Cho ) 대한류마티스학회 2010 대한류마티스학회지 Vol.17 No.3

Objective: Interleukin-15 (IL-15) recruits and activates synovial T cells, and IL-15 plays an important role in amplifying and perpetuating inflammation in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a potent chemoattractant for memory T cells in the inflamed RA synovium. This study investigated the effect of IL-15 on SDF-1 production in RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Methods: The expressions of IL-15 and SDF-1 were determined from the synovium of patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA) by performing immunohistochemistry. The expressions of SDF-1 was measured from the RA FLS that were cultured with IL-15 and IL-17 by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA. The SDF-1 expression was also measured, via ELISA, from the RA FLS stimulated by IL-15 together with the inhibitors of such intracellular signal molecules as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase, LY294002), STAT3 (AG490), MAP Kinase (PD98059), NF-κB (parthenolide) and activator protein 1 (AP-1, curcumin). Results: IL-15 and SDF-1 were mainly expressed in the RA synovium compared to that of the OA synovium. IL-15 increased the SDF-1 expressions and it, and had an additive effect with IL-17 on the SDF-1 expressions in the cultured RA FLS. The IL-15 induced increase of the SDF-1 expression in the cultured RA FLS was blocked by the inhibitors of PI 3-kinase, NF-κB and AP-1. Conclusion: The SDF-1 expression was increased in the RA synovium and it was up-regulated by IL-15 in the RA FLS through the PI 3-kinase, NF-κB, and AP-1 pathways. These results imply that the IL-15 induced increase of the SDF-1 expressions may be involved in the immunopathogenesis of RA.

Interleukin 17 (IL-17) Increases the Expression of Toll-like Receptor-2, 4, and 9 by Increasing IL-1β and IL-6 Production in Autoimmune Arthritis

LEE, JUN-HEE,CHO, MI-LA,KIM, JU-IN,MOON, YOUNG-MEE,OH, HYE-JWA,KIM, GEUN-TAE,RYU, SUN,BAEK, SEUNG-HOON,LEE, SUN-HEE,KIM, HO-YOUN,KIM, SUNG-IL The Journal of Rheumatology 2009 The Journal of rheumatology Vol.36 No.4

<B>Objective.</B><P>To examine the effect of interleukin 17 (IL-17) on the expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2, 4, and 9 in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice.</P><B>Methods.</B><P>On Days 28 and 32 after induction of CIA in mice, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS group) or IL-17 (IL-17 group) was injected into both knee joints. On Day 35, mice were sacrificed. The severity of knee joint arthritis, synovial inflammation, and bone destruction was measured by a scoring system using macrography and histological analysis. Synovial expression of TLR-2, 4, 9, IL-17, IL-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-6 was determined by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Synoviocytes of CIA mice were cultured with IL-17 and with neutralizing antibodies to cytokine, and the expression of TLR-2, 4, 9, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-6 was determined by real-time RT-PCR.</P><B>Results.</B><P>In CIA mice, knee arthritis scores, synovial inflammation, bone destruction scores, and expression of synovial TLR-2, 4, and 9, IL-17, IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-6 were higher in the IL-17 and PBS groups than in normal DBA1 mice. These variables were also significantly higher in the IL-17 group than in the PBS group. In CIA synoviocytes, IL-17 increased the expression of TLR-2, 4, and 9, and this effect was significantly alleviated by neutralizing antibodies to IL-17, IL-1ß, and IL-6.</P><B>Conclusion.</B><P>IL-17 aggravates joint inflammation and destruction, and increases the synovial expression of TLR-2, 4, and 9 by increasing IL-1ß and IL-6. These results imply that the IL-17-induced increase in expression of TLR-2, 4, and 9, and IL-1ß and IL-6 production are involved in the IL-17-induced aggravation of arthritis.</P>

Gene therapy of intracranial glioma using interleukin 12-secreting human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Ryu, Chung Heon,Park, Sang-Hoon,Park, Soon A,Kim, Seong Muk,Lim, Jung Yeon,Jeong, Chang Hyun,Yoon, Wan-Soo,Oh, Won-il,Sung, Young Chul,Jeun, Sin-Soo Mary Ann Liebert 2011 Human gene therapy Vol.22 No.6

<P>Clinical trials of gene therapy using a viral delivery system for glioma have been limited. Recently, gene therapy using stem cells as the vehicles for delivery of therapeutic agents has emerged as a new treatment strategy for malignant brain tumors. In this study, we used human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) as delivery vehicles with glioma-targeting capabilities, and modified interleukin-12 (IL-12p40N220Q; IL-12M) as a novel therapeutic gene. We also engineered UCB-MSCs to secret IL-12M (UCB-MSC-IL12M) via tetrameric cell-permeable peptide (4HP4)-mediated adenoviral transduction. We confirmed the migratory capacity of UCB-MSC-IL12M toward GL26 mouse glioma cells by an in vitro migration assay and in vivo injection of UCB-MSC-IL12M into the ipsilateral hemisphere of implanted gliomas in C57BL/6 mice. In vivo efficacy experiments showed that intratumoral injection of UCB-MSC-IL12M significantly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged the survival of glioma-bearing mice compared with control mice. Antitumor effects were associated with increased local IL-12M levels, followed by interferon-γ secretion and T-cell infiltration in intracranial gliomas, as well as antiangiogenesis. Interestingly, tumor-free mice after UCB-MSC-IL12M treatment were resistant to ipsilateral and contralateral tumor rechallenge, which was closely associated with tumor-specific long-term T-cell immunity. Thus, our results provide the rationale for designing novel experimental protocols to induce long-term antitumor immunity against intracranial gliomas using UCB-MSCs as an effective delivery vehicle for therapeutic cytokines including IL-12M.</P>

Expression of TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 in dermatomyositis and polymyositis

Kim, Geun-Tae,Cho, Mi-La,Park, Young-Eun,Yoo, Wan Hee,Kim, Jung-Hee,Oh, Hye-Jwa,Kim, Dae-Sung,Baek, Seung-Hoon,Lee, Sun-Hee,Lee, Jun-Hee,Kim, Ho-Youn,Kim, Sung-Il Springer-Verlag 2010 CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY Vol.29 No.3

<P>The aim of this study was to investigate the expressions of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, TLR9, and their correlations with the expression of cytokines that are associated with activation of CD4<SUP>+</SUP> T cells and inflammation including interferon γ (IFNγ), interleukin 4 (IL4), interleukin 17 (IL17), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in muscle tissues of patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). The expressions of TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, IFNγ, IL4, IL17, and TNFα were measured by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction in muscle tissues from 14 patients with DM and PM (nine patients with DM, five patients with PM) and three controls. The expressions of TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 were also localized with immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, IFNγ, IL4, IL17, and TNFα were significantly high in patients with DM and PM compared with those in the controls, and the expression levels of TLR4 and TLR9 had significant positive correlations with the expressions of IFNγ, IL4, IL17, and TNFα. Immunohistochemistry showed that TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 were expressed by infiltrating cells of perimysium in DM, whereas they were expressed by infiltrating cells of endomysium in PM. These results suggest that the involvement of TLR4 and TLR9 in immunopathogenesis of DM and PM might be connected with activation of CD4<SUP>+</SUP> T cells.</P>

Ameliorating effect of dipotassium glycyrrhizinate on an IL-4- and IL-13-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin-equivalent model

Lee, Sung Hoon,Bae, Il-Hong,Choi, Hyangtae,Choi, Hyeong Won,Oh, Soojung,Marinho, Paulo A.,Min, Dae Jin,Kim, Dae-Yong,Lee, Tae Ryong,Lee, Chang Seok,Lee, Jongsung Springer-Verlag 2019 Archives of dermatological research Vol.311 No.2

Anti-allergic effects of a nonameric peptide isolated from the intestine gastrointestinal digests of abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) in activated HMC-1 human mast cells

KO, SEOK-CHUN,LEE, DAE-SUNG,PARK, WON SUN,YOO, JONG SU,YIM, MI-JIN,QIAN, ZHONG-JI,LEE, CHANG-MIN,OH, JUNGHWAN,JUNG, WON-KYO,CHOI, IL-WHAN Spandidos Publications 2016 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE Vol.37 No.1

<P>The aim of the present study was to examine whether the intestine gastrointestinal (GI) digests of abalone [Halioti s discus hannai (H. discus hannai)] modulate inflammatory responses and to elucidate the mechanisms involved. The GI digests of the abalone intestines were fractionated into fractions I (>10 kDa), 11 (5-10 kDa) and III (<5 kDa). Of the abalone intestine GI digests (AIGIDs), fraction III inhibited the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice. Subsequently, a bioactive peptide [abalone intestine GI digest peptide (AIGIDP)] isolated from fraction III was determined to be 1175.2 Da, and the amino acid sequence was found to be PFNQGTFAS. We noted that the purified nonameric peptide (AIGIDP) attenuated the phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-induced histamine release and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1 beta and IL-6 in human mast cells (HMC-1 cells). In addition, we also noted that AIGIDP inhibited the PMACI-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) by suppressing I kappa B alpha phosphorylation and that it suppressed the production of cytokines by decreasing the phosphorylation of JNK. The findings of our study indicate that AIGIDP exerts a modulatory, anti-allergic effect on mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.</P>

The flavonoid ellagic acid from a medicinal herb inhibits host immune tolerance induced by the hepatitis B virus-e antigen

Kang, Eun Hwa,Kown, Tae Young,Oh, Goo Taeg,Park, Weung Feel,Park, Sung-Il,Park, Sung Kyu,Lee, Young Ik Elsevier 2006 ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH Vol.72 No.2

<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>The aim of this study is to characterize the role of ellagic acid, a flavonoid from a medicinal herb which blocks HBeAg secretion in a HBV infected cell line and in HBeAg transgenic mice, in immune tolerance in chronic HBV infection. Using the mouse strain C57ML/6, HBeAg-producing transgenic mice (HBeAg-Tg), under the control of metal ion-inducible promoter were generated. The effect on immune tolerance of HBeAg-Tg and the release of immune tolerance by the inhibitor of HBeAg secretion, ellagic acid, was tested using T/B cell proliferation, HBeAg/HBeAb production, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and cytokine assays.</P><P>C57ML/6 based HBeAg-producing HBeAg-Tg mice were tolerant to HBeAg at the T and B-cell level, did not produce antibodies to HBeAg in vivo and in vitro, produced minimal levels of cytokines (IL-4 and IFN-gamma) and decreased CTL responses, while feeding mice with ellagic acid (5mg/kg body weight) blocked the immune tolerance caused by HBeAg. Our results suggest that host immune tolerance induced by HBeAg during HBV infection, a viral strategy to guarantee HBV infection, can be overcome by ellagic acid, thus it can be used as a therapeutic for HBV-carriers.</P>

Effects of Moxibustion to Zusanli(ST36) on Alteration of Natural Killer Cell Activity in Rats

Choi, Gi Soon,Han, Jae Bok,Park, Joon Ha,Oh, Sang Deog,Lee, Gi Seog,Bae, Hyun Su,Jung, Sung Ki,Cho, Young Wuk,Ahn, Hyun Jong,Min, Byung Il WHO COLLABORATING CENTRE FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE 2004 東西醫學硏究所 論文集 Vol.2004 No.-

Moxibustion is one of the major healing techniques in Oriental medicine. It has been widely used in many diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto disease, breech presentation, etc. However, till now, effects of moxibustion on natural killer (NK) cell activity and relations between sympathetic nerve system (SNS) and the immune alteration induced by moxibustion wert not well studied. This study was designed to evaluate effects of moxibustion on NK cell activity and the Intervention of SNS in the alteration of NK cell activity induced by moxibustion. Splenic NK cell cytotoxicity was measured in a standard 4-hour ^(51)Cr release assay. We measured the NK cell cytotoxicity after moxibustion stimulation for 1, 3, 5 and 7 days, and also measured the NK cell cytotoxicity after 3 and 7 days burn stimulation with similar temperature. Interleukin (IL)-2, -4 and interferon (INF)-γ in serum were measured by rat IL-2, -4 and INF-γ ELISA test kit. To evaluate the effects of sympathectomy on alteration of NK cell cytotoxicity, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA: 50 mg/kg) was used. We showed that NK cell activity of moxibustion stimulation group incrcased at the 3rd day, and declined at the 7th day in comparison with that of the control group. In thc moxibustion stimulation group, NK cell activity was significantly higher than the sham group at the 3rd day. On the contrary, in the burn stimulation group, NK cell activity was significantly higher than that of the sham groups at 3rd and 7th days. INF-γ level after 3 days in the moxibustion stimulation group was significantly higher than that of the sham group. IL-2 Ievel among groups were not different. IL-4 was not detected in serum with this method. Sympathectomy abolished the NK cell activity alteration induced by moxibustion. The results suggest that moxibustion modulates NK cell activity, along with INF-γ, and SNS is mediating these effects.

A Novel Function of Interleukin-10 Promoting Self-Renewal of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Kang, Young-Ju,Yang, Seung-Jip,Park, Gyeongsin,Cho, Bin,Min, Chang-Ki,Kim, Tae-Yoon,Lee, Joon-Sung,Oh, Il-Hoan Wiley (John WileySons) 2007 Stem Cells Vol.25 No.7

<P>Self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is key to their reconstituting ability, but the factors regulating the process remain poorly understood. Here, we show that Interleukin-10 (IL-10), a pleiotropic immune modulating cytokine, can also play a role in regulating HSC self-renewal. First, a quantitative decrease of primitive hematopoietic cell populations, but not more matured cells, was observed in the bone marrows of IL-10 disrupted mice as determined by long-term in vitro cultures or in vivo competitive repopulation assays. In contrast, normal HSCs from 5-fluorouracil treated marrows cultured on the IL-10 secreting stroma displayed an enhanced repopulating activity compared with cells grown on control stroma, with ninefold higher numbers of donor-derived HSCs in the reconstituted recipient marrows. Moreover, limiting dilution transplantation assay demonstrated that exogenous addition of IL-10 in the stroma-free cultures of purified Lin- Sca-1+ c-kit+ cells caused three- to fourfold higher frequencies of HSCs in the 5-day short-term culture without indirect inhibitory effect of IL-10 on tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interferon-gamma secretion. Interestingly, primitive hematopoietic cells, including Lin- Sca-1+ c-kit+ or side population cells, expressed the surface receptor for IL-10, and microenvironmental production of IL-10 was sharply increased in the osteoblasts lining the trabecular regions of the radiation-stressed marrow but not in the steady-state marrows. These results show that IL-10 may be a ligand that can stimulate self-renewal of HSCs to promote their regeneration in addition to being a ligand for immune regulation. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.</P>