title: Red ginseng and vitamin C increase immune cell activity and decrease lung inflammation induced by influenza A virus/H1N1 infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because red ginseng and vitamin C have immunomodulatory function and anti-viral effect, we investigated whether red ginseng and vitamin C synergistically regulate immune cell function and suppress viral infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Red ginseng and vitamin C were treated to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-infected BCBL-1, and administrated to Gulo(-/-) mice, which are incapable of synthesizing vitamin C, with or without influenza A virus/H1N1 infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Red ginseng and vitamin C increased the expression of CD25 and CD69 of PBMCs and natural killer (NK) cells. Co-treatment of them decreased cell viability and lytic gene expression in BCBL-1. In Gulo(-/-) mice, red ginseng and vitamin C increased the expression of NKp46, a natural cytotoxic receptor of NK cells and interferon (IFN)-γ production. Influenza infection decreased the survival rate, and increased inflammation and viral plaque accumulation in the lungs of vitamin C-depleted Gulo(-/-) mice, which were remarkably reduced by red ginseng and vitamin C supplementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of red ginseng and vitamin C enhanced the activation of immune cells like T and NK cells, and repressed the progress of viral lytic cycle. It also reduced lung inflammation caused by viral infection, which consequently increased the survival rate.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyemin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mirim
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yejin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jiyea
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihoon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2573-4866
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Wang Jae
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D005894:Panax / Q000276:immunology*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: H1N1; influenza A virus; red ginseng; vitamin C