Publications by authors named "Eun-Ju Ko"

Background: Despite routine vaccination, equine influenza outbreaks occur due to disparities of virus strains between vaccine and field, and immunity gaps between vaccinations.

Objectives: To evaluate whether a combination of adjuvants can enhance immune responses to equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccines.

Study Design: In vivo experimental study.

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Natural killer (NK) cells, which are key components of the innate immune response, are crucial for ensuring the efficacy of vaccines as they rapidly eliminate infected cells and enhance the adaptive immune response, ensuring robust and lasting protection. In this report, we investigated the effect of var. (CW) extract, a marine alga, in activating NK cells, as an adjuvant to inactivated A/Puerto Rico/8/34 H1N1 influenza vaccine (iPR8).

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Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as the occurrence of two or more pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation. RPL is a common medical condition among reproductive-age women, with approximately 23 million cases reported annually worldwide. Up to 5% of pregnant women may experience two or more consecutive pregnancy losses.

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Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as the occurrence of two or more consecutive pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation, encompassing both embryonic and fetal losses. Although previous studies have provided substantial insights into RPL, the causes in many cases remain unexplained. This lack of information has prompted continued investigation into various risk factors, including those identified through next-generation sequencing (NGS).

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Lactobacillus johnsonii is a commensal bacterium isolated from the vaginal and gastrointestinal tracts of vertebrate hosts, including humans. It is a potential anti-inflammatory bacterium. As reported in many animal studies, L.

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Background: Despite the importance of influenza vaccination in asthma patients, the efficacy of this vaccine in asthma has not been well elucidated. We aimed to compare the efficacy of an influenza vaccine of the asthmatic and control mice. We also evaluated the efficacy of AddaVax™ as an adjuvant candidate, which is equivalent to the MF59 influenza vaccine adjuvant in the elderly.

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In this study, we investigated the synergistic effect of co-administration of osimertinib and HAD-B1 using gefitinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer cells, HCC827-GR. HAD-B1 is composed of 4 natural drugs, Panax Notoginseng Radix, Panax ginseng C. A.

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Objectives: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal in post-transcriptionally modulating gene expression in both animals and plants. This study investigates the relationship between microRNA polymorphisms and the occurrence of primary ovarian insufficiency in Korean women. Our hypothesis posits that polymorphisms in microRNAs-specifically miR-10aA > T, miR-30cA > G, miR-181aT > C, and miR-499bA > G-may be linked to primary ovarian insufficiency, influencing the risk of developing the condition.

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Article Synopsis
  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) is common and can cause heart attacks due to plaque buildup in coronary arteries, with genetic factors playing a role.
  • This study focused on miRNA polymorphisms in the Korean population, identifying that a specific mutation (rs928508 A > G) significantly increases CAD risk.
  • The research highlights the combined effects of genetic variants and conditions like metabolic syndrome and diabetes in enhancing CAD susceptibility, suggesting these findings could aid in developing prognostic biomarkers.
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Natural adjuvants have recently garnered interest in the field of vaccinology as their immunostimulatory effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential use of Peyssonnelia caulifera (PC), a marine alga, as a natural adjuvant for an inactivated split A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 influenza vaccine (sPR8) in a murine model. We administered PC-adjuvanted vaccines to a murine model via intramuscular prime and boost vaccinations, and subsequently analyzed the induced immunological responses, particularly the production of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies, memory T and B cell responses, and the protective efficacy against a lethal viral infection.

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  • Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a condition causing menstrual disturbances and ovarian dysfunction in women before age 40, with a prevalence of less than 1% that may vary based on ethnicity.
  • The study investigated specific genetic polymorphisms in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), and their relation to ovarian health in 139 Korean patients with POI compared to 350 controls.
  • Significant associations were found between certain genotype combinations and the risk of POI, particularly involving FSHR and ESR1, which could point to genetic factors influencing the condition's prevalence and enhance understanding for potential treatments.
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  • Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a major cause of female infertility occurring before age 40, associated with TGF-β/BMP signaling pathway genes like TGF-β and BMP15.
  • The study aimed to explore the link between specific gene polymorphisms in this pathway and the risk of developing POI, examining data from 139 patients with POI and 345 controls.
  • Results indicated that certain allele combinations in TGFBR1 and TGFBR3 genes were linked to a reduced risk of POI, suggesting these polymorphisms could serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing and treating the condition.
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Idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as at least two pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation. Approximately 5% of pregnant couples experience idiopathic RPL, which is a heterogeneous disease with various causes including hormonal, chromosomal, and intrauterine abnormalities. Although how pregnancy loss occurs is still unknown, numerous biological factors are associated with the incidence of pregnancy loss, including genetic variants.

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Brown adipose tissue (BAT) which is a critical regulator of energy homeostasis, and its activity is inhibited by obesity and low-grade chronic inflammation. Ginsenoside Rg3, the primary constituent of Korean red ginseng (steamed Panax ginseng CA Meyer), has shown therapeutic potential in combating inflammatory and metabolic diseases. However, it remains unclear whether Rg3 can protect against the suppression of browning or activation of BAT induced by inflammation.

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The conventional inactivated split seasonal influenza vaccine offers low efficacy, particularly in the elderly and against antigenic variants. Here, to improve the efficacy of seasonal vaccination for the elderly population, we tested whether supplementing seasonal bivalent (H1N1 + H3N2) split (S) vaccine with M2 ectodomain repeat and multi-subtype consensus neuraminidase (NA) proteins (N1 NA + N2 NA + flu B NA) on a virus-like particle (NA-M2e) would induce enhanced cross-protection against different influenza viruses in aged mice. Immunization with split vaccine plus NA-M2e (S + NA-M2e) increased vaccine-specific IgG antibodies towards T-helper type 1 responses and hemagglutination inhibition titers.

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Equine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease caused by H3N8 type A influenza virus. Vaccination against equine influenza is conducted regularly; however, infection still occurs globally because of the short immunity duration and suboptimal efficacy of current vaccines. Hence the objective of this study was to investigate whether an adjuvant combination can improve immune responses to equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccines.

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  • * STAT3 is essential for successful embryo implantation, and while its connection to RIF is known, the effect of specific genetic variations in miRNAs on STAT3's role in RIF has not been fully explored.
  • * A study involving 161 RIF patients and 268 healthy individuals found that the genetic variant miR-34a rs6577555 C>A is significantly associated with increased RIF risk, indicating it may play a role in the condition, warranting further research.
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Marine algae are photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that are widely used as sources of food, cosmetics, and drugs. However, their biological and immunological effects on immune cells have not been fully elucidated. To unravel their immunological activity and broaden their application, we generated antigen-presenting cells (APCs), including dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, from mouse bone marrow cells and treated them with six different marine algae extracts (MAEs).

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Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a prevalent cardiovascular condition characterized by the accumulation of plaque within coronary arteries. While distinct features of CAD have been reported, the association between genetic factors and CAD in terms of biomarkers was insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the connection between genetic factors and CAD, focusing on the thymidylate synthase () gene, a gene involved in DNA synthesis and one-carbon metabolism.

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  • * The study examined 151 RIF patients and 321 healthy individuals in Korea to find genetic polymorphisms associated with RIF prevalence, focusing on certain genes related to inflammation.
  • * Significant associations were found between specific polymorphisms (rs1053004, rs1800796, and rs1800629) and the likelihood of experiencing RIF, marking the first investigation of its kind in Korea.
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Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists improve vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy, but they are currently unlicensed as adjuvants in influenza vaccines. This study aimed to investigate whether a combination of monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL, a TLR4 agonist) and polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C, a TLR3 agonist) can enhance the protective efficacy of an inactivated A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (A/PR8) H1N1 influenza vaccine against homologous influenza infection and minimize illness outcomes. Results showed that combination MPL and poly I:C adjuvanted influenza vaccination increased the production of antigen-specific antibodies, decreased the levels of cytokines and cellular infiltrates at the infection sites, and induced significant memory T and B cell responses in mice.

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Background: Allergic asthma, one of the most common types of asthma, is thought to be highly susceptible to respiratory viral infections; however, its pathological mechanism needs to be elucidated. Recent studies have found impaired T-cell function in asthmatic mice. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the way by which asthma induction affects T-cell exhaustion in the lungs and assess the relationship between T-cell exhaustion and influenza viral infection.

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  • * A study involving 420 controls and 464 CRC patients found that the MUC4 rs1104760 A>G polymorphism may protect against CRC, while the rs2688513 A>G polymorphism is linked to higher mortality rates in CRC patients.
  • * The research highlights MUC4 rs1104760 as a potential biomarker for CRC, especially in patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, indicating a relationship between genetic factors and CRC prevention.
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Background: Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have been used as adjuvants to modulate immune responses in both animals and humans.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of the TLR 4 agonist monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) and the TLR 3 agonist polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) on equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs), and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs).

Methods: The PBMCs, MoDCs, and BM-MSCs collected from three mixed breed horses were treated with MPL, Poly I:C, and their combination.

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Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) refers to two or more unsuccessful in vitro fertilization embryo transfers in the same individual. Embryonic characteristics, immunological factors, and coagulation factors are known to be the causes of RIF. Genetic factors have also been reported to be involved in the occurrence of RIF, and some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may contribute to RIF.

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