Publications by authors named "Masao Takei"

Uncarinic acid C (URC) is triterpene isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla and is a pharmacologically active substance. The induction of dendritic cells (DC) is critical for the induction of Ag-specific T lymphocyte responses and may be essential for the development of human vaccines relying on T cell immunity. DC might be a potential target for URC.

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Uncarinic acid C (URC) is triterpene isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla and modulates human DC function in a fashion that favors Th1 cell polarization depending on TLR4 signaling. The induction of dendritic cells (DC) is critical for the induction of Ag-specific T lymphocyte responses and may be essential for the development of human vaccines relying on T cell immunity. Monocyte-derived DC used as adjuvant cells in cancer immunotherapy and have shown promising results.

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Ursolic acid is triterpene isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla and is a pharmacologically active substance. The induction of dendritic cell maturation is critical for the induction of Ag-specific T-lymphocyte response and may be essential for the development of human vaccine relying on T cell immunity. In this study, we investigated that the effect of Ursolic acid on the phenotypic and functional maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells in vitro.

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Dendritic cells (DC) are key antigen-presenting cells that link innate and adaptive immunity and ultimately activate antigen-specific T cells. In the current study, we demonstrated that two triterpene esters, uncarinic acid C (1) and uncarinic acid D (2), which are isolated from the hooks of Uncaria rhynchophylla, activate phenotypic and cytokine production alterations in DC. We also show that 1 and 2 modulate human DC function in a fashion that favors Th1 cell polarization.

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Callyspongidiol and 14,15-dihydrosiphonodiol are Polyacetylenediols isolated from marine sponges and are pharmacologically active substances. Dendritic cells (DC) play an important role in the initiation and regulation of immune response. DC have a key influence in the differentiation of naïve T cells into Th1, Th2 or Th17 effector cells.

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Dendritic cells play an important role in the initiation and regulation of immune response. Dendritic cells have a key influence in the differentiation of naïve T cells into Th1, Th2 or Th17 effector cells. Cryptomerione is terpene isolated from the heartwood of Cryptomeria japonica.

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All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) affects on the function of antigen presenting cells with somewhat controversies. We investigated the effects of ATRA on differentiation, maturation and function of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs). Low dose (10(-14)M) or high dose (10(-6)M) of ATRA was added either when monocytes were differentiated into immature DCs (imDCs) or mature DCs (mDCs) were induced.

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A screening of 30 crude extracts of marine sponges against human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) yielded an EtOAc extract of the sponge Callyspongia sp. (Callyspongiidae) with significant activity. Further bioassay-guided fractionation of the EtOAc extract led to the isolation of three polyacetylene metabolites: a new polyacetylene diol, callyspongidiol (1), along with two known compounds, siphonodiol (2) and 14,15-dihydrosiphonodiol (3).

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Sandaracopimaric acid and Sandaracopimaradiene-3beta-ol are diterpenes isolated from the heatwood of Cryptomeria japonica and are pharmacologically active substances. Dendritic cells (DC) are key antigen presenting cells (APC), which link innate and adaptive immunity, ultimately activating antigen-specific T cells. We demonstrate that Sandaracopimaric acid and Sandaracopimaradiene-3beta-ol activate humans DC as documented by phenotypic and functional maturation and altered cytokine production.

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Siphonodiol is a polyacetylene diol isolated from marine sponges Callyspongia sp. We demonstrate that the effect of Siphonodiol on the phenotypic and functional maturation of human monocyte derived DC in vitro. Human monocytes were exposed to Siphonodiol alone, or in combination with LPS and thereafter co-cultured with naïve T cells.

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16-Phyllocladanol is diterpene isolated form the heartwood of Cryptomeria japonica. We demonstrate that the effect of 16-phyllocladanol on the phenotypic and functional maturation of human monocytes-derived DC in vitro. Human monocytes were exposed to 16-phyllocladanol alone, or in combination with LPS and thereafter co-cultured with naïve T cells.

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Dendritic cells (DC) play a pivotal role in the initiation of T-cell-mediated immune responses, making them an attractive cellular adjuvant for use in cancer vaccines. The interaction of T cells with DC is crucial for directing T cell differentiation towards the Th1, Th2 or Th17 type, and several factors determining the direction of the T cell polarization. IL-12 plays a central role in the immune system, not only by augmenting the cytotoxic activity of T cells and NK cells and regulating IFN-gamma production, but also by the capacity of IL-12 to promote the development of Th1 cells.

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Sugiol and 12-hydroxy-6,7-secoabieta-8,11,13-triene-6,7-dial (Secoferruginol) are diterpenes isolated from the heartwood of Cryptomeria japonica and are pharmacologically active substances. Dendritic cells (DC) have a key influence on the differentiation of naïve T cells into Th1 or Th2 effector cells. We demonstrate that Sugiol and Secoferruginol activate human DC as documented by phenotypic and functional maturation and altered cytokine production.

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T-cadinol and calamenene are sesquiterpenes isolated from the heartwood of Cryptomeria japonica and are pharmacologically active substances. Dendritic cells are pivotal in the initiation of adaptive immune responses and are recognized as key to the induction of immune responses to cancer. This study investigated the effects of T-cadinol and calamenene on the phenotypic and functional maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells in vitro.

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Epicubenol and 19-hydroxyferruginol (Ferruginol) are sesquiterpenes isolated from the black heartwood of Cryptomeria japonica. Dendritic cells (DC) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that monitor the antigenic environment and activate naïve T cells. The role of DC is not only to sense danger but also to tolerize the immune system to antigens encountered in the absence of maturation/inflammatory stimuli.

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The sea urchin Toxopneustes pileolus belonging to the family Toxopneustidae, they have well-developed globiferous pedicellariae with pharmacologically active substances. We have purified a novel sea urchin lectin-1 (SUL-1) from the large globiferous pedicellariae of T. pileolus.

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Valpha24+ NKT is an innate lymphocyte with potential antitumor activity. Clinical applications of Valpha24+ natural killer (NK) T cells, which are innate lymphocytes with potential antitumor activity, require their in vitro expansion. To avoid the potential dangers posed to patients by fetal bovine serum (FBS), the authors evaluated non-FBS culture conditions for the selective and efficient expansion of human Valpha24+ NKT cells.

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Piceatannol is an anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antiproliferative stilbene that has been shown to interfere with the cytokine signaling pathway. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal in the initiation of T-cell-mediated immune responses, making them an attractive cellular adjuvant for use in cancer vaccines. This study investigated the effect of piceatannol on the phenotypic and functional maturation of human monocyte-derived DCs in vitro.

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Ginseng is a medicinal herb widely used in Asian countries, and many of its pharmacological actions are attributed to the ginsenosides. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal in the initiation of T-cell-mediated immune responses, making them an attractive cellular adjuvant for use in cancer vaccines. In this study, we investigated whether M1 and M4, end products of steroidal ginseng saponins metabolized in digestive tracts, can drive DCs maturation from human monocytes in vitro.

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To treat leukemia relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), we investigated the possibility of immunotherapy using donor CD8+ T cells that were generated by stimulating leukemic cell-derived dendritic cells (leukemic-DCs) or leukemic cell lysate pulsed donor cell-derived DCs (donor-DCs). Leukemic- and donor-DCs were generated from mononuclear cells of patients and CD14+ cells of HLA-matched donors, respectively. The expression of CD80, CD83, CD86, CD1a, and CD40 on leukemic-DCs was significantly lower than that on donor-DCs.

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Prostaglandin (PG) E(2) induces dendritic cell maturation in cooperation with proinflammatory cytokines [such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta]. To clarify the involvement of E-prostanoid (EP) receptors in the effect of prostaglandin E(2) on human monocyte-derived dendritic cell (MoDC) maturation, we examined the effect of four types of EP receptor-selective agonists on MoDC maturation. PGE(2) as well as 11,15-O-dimethyl prostaglandin (E(2)ONO-AE1-259-01) (EP2 receptor agonist) and ONO-AE1-329 (EP4 receptor agonist) concentration dependently enhanced the expression of CD80, CD86, CD83, and HLA-DR on MoDCs during maturation, especially in the presence of TNF-alpha, whereas 17S-2,5-ethano-6-oxo-17,20-dimethyl prostaglandin E(1) (EP1 receptor agonist) and 16S-9-deoxy-9beta-chloro-15-deoxy-16-hyfroxy-17,17-trimethylene-19,20-didehydro prostaglandin F(2) (EP3 receptor agonist) showed no effect.

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Little is known about the potential influence of cryopreservation on the biologic activities of dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we examined the effects of freeze-thawing on the phenotypic and functional development of human DCs obtained from granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized peripheral blood CD14+ cells. CD14+ cells were cultured, immediately or after freeze-thawing, with granulocyte-macrophage CSF and interleukin-4 for 9 days, and then with added tumor necrosis factor-alpha for another 3 days.

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The role of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) in the function of dendritic cells (DCs), T-cell polarization, and expression of chemokine receptors was evaluated in human cells. Immature DCs were generated from peripheral blood CD14(+) cells using a combination of GM-CSF and interleukin-4 (IL-4) with or without PGE(2). On day 6, maturation of DCs was induced by the addition of tumor necrosis factor alpha with or without PGE(2).

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Tryptase is a protease released from mast cells and is believed to contribute to the inflammatory process in allergic diseases including asthma. In the course of screening to find tryptase inhibitors, we isolated two new tryptase inhibitors, cyclotheonamide E4 (3) and E5 (4), from a marine sponge of the genus Ircinia. The structures of these molecules were determined by interpretation of 1H and 13C NMR spectra, and they were shown to be closely related to the previously reported cyclotheonamides E (1), E2, and E3 (2).

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