title: Cordyceps militaris Enhances MHC-restricted Antigen Presentation via the Induced Expression of MHC Molecules and Production of Cytokines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cordyceps militarys water extract (CME) has been reported to exert antitumor and immunomodulatory activities in vivo and in vitro. However, the therapeutic mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of CME on the antigen presenting function of antigen presenting cells (APCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dendritic cells (DCs) were cultured in the presence of CME, and then allowed to phagocytose microspheres containing ovalbumin (OVA). After washing and fixing the efficacy of OVA, peptide presentation by DCs were evaluated using CD8 and CD4 T cells. Also, we confirmed the protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines through western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CME enhanced both MHC class I and class II-restricted presentation of OVA in DCs. In addition, the expression of both MHC class I and II molecules was enhanced, but there was no changes in the phagocytic activity of exogenous OVA. Furthermore, CME induced the protein levels of iNOS, COX-2, proinflammatory cytokines, and nuclear p65 in a concentration-dependent manner, as determined by western blot.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide an understanding of the mechanism of the immuno-enhancing activity of CME on the induction of MHC-restricted antigen presentation in relation to their actions on APCs.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 139-742, Korea.
authors.forename: Seulmee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yoonhee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seulah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee-Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Young-Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Shinha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Seungjeong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chong-Kil
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyunghae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kyungjae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim