Effects of Kumaizasa (Sasa senanensis) Leaf Extract on Innate Immune Regulation in HEK293 Cells and Macrophages.

BACKGROUND/AIM: We investigated the effect of Kumaizasa leaf extract (KLE) on innate immunity using the HEK293 and RAW 264.7 cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: KLE, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), or KLE with LPS were added to RAW 264.7 cells. The TNF-α and IL-1ß mRNA expression was then quantified. The expression of MAPKs, NFĸB, TNF-α and IL-1ß proteins was also quantified. In addition, KLE was added to HEK293 cells and the IL-8 concentration was measured. RESULTS: In RAW 264.7 cells, KLE increased the levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß mRNA. By contrast, when KLE and LPS were added to RAW 264.7 cells, the increase in TNF-α and IL-1ß mRNA was ameliorated. Similarly, the expression of JNK and ERK proteins was reduced. The addition of KLE to HEK293 cells induced IL-8 production. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, a KLE-mediated mechanism may regulate immunity by suppressing the expression of JNK and ERK, which are involved in inflammatory signal transduction.

Pollen Allergy Suppression Effect by the Oral Administration of Acetic Acid Bacteria (Gluconacetobacter hansenii).

BACKGROUND/AIM: Gluconacetobacter hansenii (G. hansenii) is an acetic acid bacterium of vinegar production. Its anti-allergic effect on mice upon oral administration was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The amount of LPS was measured by the Limulus reaction. Mice were sensitized by peritoneal and intranasal administration of cedar pollen and alum followed by oral administration of 30 or 150 mg/kg of heated G. hansenii cells. Pollen was administered intranasally to evaluate nasal symptoms, and at 8 weeks, IgE and IL-10 levels in blood were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The amount of LPS in dried bacterial cells was 10.4±3.3 mg/g. In the cedar pollinosis model of mice, a significant reduction was observed in nose scratching of both groups administered with the bacterial cells (30, 150 mg/kg). CONCLUSION: G. hansenii contains LPS, and its oral administration showed an anti-allergic effect by a significant mitigation of the symptoms in a pollen allergy mouse model.

Clinical Effects of Orally Administered Lipopolysaccharide Derived from Pantoea agglomerans on Malignant Tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIM: It has been reported that oral administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) recovers an individual's immune condition and induces the exclusion of foreign matter, inflammation and tissue repair. We orally administered LPS from the wheat symbiotic bacteria Pantoea agglomerans, which has been ingested and proven to be safe, to cancer patients. Our observation of clinical improvements resulting from this treatment are reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixteen cancer patients who exhibited declined small intestinal immune competence were treated between June and September, 2015. Diagnosis was based on our evaluation on small intestinal immune competence and macrophage activity. RESULTS: The state of malignant tumors at 3 months after starting this treatment was complete recovery for 3 cases, remission for 7 cases, maintenance for 4 cases, exacerbation for 1 case and death for 1 case (total response rate=62.5%). Small intestinal immune competence and macrophage activity recovered in all cases, suggesting that oral administration of LPS contributes to disease improvement. No clear side-effects that appeared to be related to LPS intake were noted. CONCLUSION: Intake of an appropriate level of Pantoea agglomerans LPS recovers small intestinal immune competence and macrophage activity, contributing to improvement of malignant tumors' therapy.

Effects of the Subaleurone Layer of Rice on Macrophage Activation and Protection of Pollen Allergy in a Murine Model.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Oral intake of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been demonstrated to be effective in the prevention of various diseases. We have found that the subaleurone layer of rice contains a large amount of LPS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of this layer in innate immunity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the Saika-style rice polishing process, a sbaleurone layer and the rice retaining a subaleurone layer and polished white rice were prepared from brown rice. Using hot-water extracts from rice, LPS content was measured by the Limulus reaction and the effect of activation of macrophages was evaluated on the basis of their phagocytic activity and nitric monoxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production levels. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2-, TLR-4- and TLR-9-transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells were used to identify the activation pathway. An allergy mouse model was used to evaluate the prevention of pollen allergy. RESULTS: When compared to polished white rice, rice retaining a subaleurone layer had a 6-fold increase in LPS and an increased macrophage activation when phagocytic activity and NO and TNF production were used as indices. TRL4 was the major pathway for such activation. Anti-allergy test by oral intake of subaleurone showed a significant preventive effect for pollen allergy. CONCLUSION: Compared to polished white rice, rice retaining a subaleurone layer contained a high level of LPS with higher macrophage activation. Furthermore, oral administration of the rice demonstrated a preventive effect for pollen allergy, thus indicating its utility as a functional food that has a regulatory effect on innate immunity.

Oral Administration of Lipopolysaccharide of Acetic Acid Bacteria Protects Pollen Allergy in a Murine Model.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, is known to possess strong immune-regulatory activity. We have found and reported the existence of biologically-active LPS in acetic acid bacteria. The LPS shows Limulus-positive activity and activation of macrophages to produce nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor. In this study, we investigated the anti-allergic effect of an orally-administrated acetic acid bacteria extract containing LPS; the cedar pollinosis model was used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acetic acid bacteria were isolated from various fruits by Nodai kaihen medium. Then, the anti-allergic effect of acetic acid bacteria extracts was investigated. BALB/c mice were immunized with a mixture of cedar pollen and alum into their peritoneal cavity; they also received additional immunizations of pollen to nasal cavity. After immunizing the mice with pollen into their nasal cavity to trigger an allergic reaction, the frequency of nose scratching was counted for 5 min. RESULTS: The bacteria were cultured and prepared and the water-extract contained about 1-10 mg/ml of Limulus positive substances. The extract of acetic acid bacteria induced higher levels of interleukin (IL)-10 and FOXP3 mRNA expression in macrophages (RAW246.7 cell), as assessed by DNA microarray analysis. Oral administration of the acetic acid bacteria extract demonstrated significantly less scratching numbers than control water group with pollen immunization. CONCLUSION: These results showed that LPS in acetic acid bacteria has the potential to protect from an allergic reaction, especially from cedar pollinosis.

Lipopolysaccharide IP-PA1 from Pantoea agglomerans prevents suppression of macrophage function in stress-induced diseases.

Chronic psychological stress impairs health and induces various diseases by causing an imbalance in the immune, neuropsychiatric and endocrine systems. The primary reason for the development of stress-induced disease is suppression of macrophage function, which plays a pivotal role in innate immunity. In fact, surgical stress has been shown to exacerbate opportunistic infections by significantly suppressing macrophage function. Conversely, administration of macrophage activating substances before surgery, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α or Picibanil (OK-432), has been shown to protect against macrophage suppression and the resulting exacerbation of infectious diseases, and against tumor metastasis in the lungs. Thus, if suppression of macrophage function by stress could be safely prevented by use of a macrophage activating substance, the detrimental side effects of stress could be reduced. Recently, we identified a lipopolysaccharide, IP-PA1, derived from Pantoea agglomerans, a symbiotic Gram-negative bacteria found in wheat and other food plants. Oral administration of IP-PA1 demonstrated macrophage activation (priming) and protective effects against infection, allergy and cancer, without any side-effects. In this review, the possibility of using IP-PA1 as a safe, macrophage activating substance for prevention of stress-induced impairments is discussed.

Functional characterization of lipopolysaccharide derived from symbiotic bacteria in rice as a macrophage-activating substance.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lipopolysaccharide derived from a symbiotic bacterium in wheat (Pantoea agglomerans, LPSp) has shown multiple positive effects, such as prophylactic, antiallergic and antitumour effects, without serious side-effects. LPSp has differential biological activities in comparison to other LPS, such as those from Escherichia coli (LPSe). The only difference between LPSp and LPSe is in the O-antigen polysaccharide structure (O-PS). This led us to the hypothesis that the O-PS structure would seem to participate in biological activities. Thus, the characterization of properties of O-PS in LPS is of the utmost importance for understanding cell activation in the maintenance of homeostasis. However, little is known about the correlation between the O-PS structure of LPS and its biological activities. In this study, we extracted LPS derived from a symbiotic bacterium in rice (strain A46, related species of Pantoea), which has a long history of use in foods, and investigated its putative structures and functions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LPS derived from strain A46 was prepared using a hot phenol extraction method. The properties of LPS-A46 were analysed by thin-layer chromatography, Tricine SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The function of LPS-A46 was analyzed by quantative real-time PCR and flow cytometry using THP-1 cells and Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) derived macrophages. RESULTS: In Tricine SDS-PAGE, high molecular mass LPS-A46 had a molecular mass lower than that of LPSp. In Western blotting, LPS-A46 reacted with lipid A antibody but did not react with an O-PS antibody of LPSp. In comparison to other LPS, LPS-A46 induced a differential cytokine gene expression profile in THP-1 cells and PBMC-derived macrophages. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that LPS derived from symbiotic bacterium in rice is a bioactive functional LPS which may have different functional activities compared to other types of LPS.

Antitumor effects of isolated hypoxic hepatic perfusion (IHHP) with high-dose TNF against colonic liver metastases in a rat model.

Although various treatment methods have been applied to unresectable metastatic liver tumors, an effective way to treat this disease has yet to be established. Recently, the combined treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and melphalan has been reported to be effective in 75% of cases in Western countries. In the present study, the antitumor effect of isolated hypoxic hepatic perfusion (IHHP) with TNF-SAM2 and an anticancer agent (5-FU), which is widely used for gastrointestinal cancers, was investigated using the F344 rat model with colonic liver metastases. The inhibitory effect on tumor growth in rats administered with either 40 microg/rat of TNF-SAM2 (89%) or 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg of 5-FU (56% or 19%) was significantly greater than that in non-treated rats (176%). On the other hand, the inhibitory effect on tumor growth in rats administered with both TNF-SAM2 and 5-FU (10 mg/kg) was 65%, which was equal to, or less than, that in rats administered with only TNF-SAM2 or 5-FU. There was no additive/synergistic effect of the combined treatment with these drugs. These results indicate the kinds and dose of anticancer agents which, used in combination with TNF, need to be evaluated for the most appropriate antitumor effect in the IHHP method.