title: The host immune enhancing agent Korean red ginseng oil successfully attenuates Brucella abortus infection in a murine model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Panax ginseng Meyer (Araliaceae), is one of the most valuable traditional Chinese medicines and is used for the treatment of various human diseases. In this study, we elucidated the protective mechanism of the essential oil from Korean red ginseng (RGO) against Brucella infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of RGO on Brucella abortus viability, NO production, uptake and intracellular growth in macrophages were investigated. Mice were intraperitoneally infected with B. abortus and orally treated with RGO for 14 days. The weights and bacterial numbers from each spleen were monitored, and the sera were evaluated for cytokine production.
  
  
  RESULTS
  B. abortus viability was not affected, whereas NO production, internalization and intracellular replication were inhibited in RGO-treated macrophages. Bacterial adherence, F-actin polymerization and MAPK signaling protein phosphorylation (ERK1/2, JNK and p38α) were reduced and the co-localization of B. abortus-containing phagosomes with LAMP-1 was augmented in RGO-treated cells compared to untreated cells. RGO displayed protective effects against cell damage by inhibiting nitrite production during B. abortus infection in macrophages. Moreover, the spleen weight and bacterial burden were lower in the RGO-treated group than in the control group. The uninfected RGO-treated mice displayed increased TNF-α and IFN-γ production, whereas the B. abortus-infected RGO-treated mice showed reduced IL-10 production compared to the control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RGO exhibits protective effects against B. abortus infection in vitro and in vivo, which emphasize the beneficial effects of RGO in the prevention and treatment of brucellosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna 4031, Philippines. Electronic address: awbreyes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alisha Wehdnesday Bernardo
authors.initials: AWB
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hoparti@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Huynh Tan
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: arayanlauren@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lauren Togonon
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Arayan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: huytrn11@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tran Xuan Ngoc
authors.initials: TXN
authors.lastname: Huy
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus) and Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: p4y1@chol.com.
authors.forename: Soo Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Plus) and Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kdkim88@gnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kwang Dong
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: wongimin@gnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: WonGi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hujang@gsnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hu Jang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: rheemh@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Man Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Technology, Korea Ginseng Corporation, Taejon 305-805, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yi-Seong
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimsuk@gnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Suk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002003:Brucella abortus; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000032:analysis; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D005227:Fatty Acids; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010840:Phytosterols; D010938:Plant Oils; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Brucella abortus; Cytokines; Korean red ginseng oil; Macrophages; Panax ginseng Meyer (Araliaceae)