GREEN CROSS WellBeing Corp.

Rich in bioactive substances such as amino acids and peptides, Laennec (human placenta hydrolysate) has been widely used to control various types of musculoskeletal pain. However, the effects of Laennec on tendon and ligament injuries are not clearly understood. In the present study, Laennec was tested to identify its in vivo effects on ligament injury in an animal model and its in vitro effects on tendon-derived fibrocytes. A total of 99 Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the negative control (normal) group (n = 11) and the ligament injury group (n = 88). The ligament injury group was subdivided into normal saline-treated group, Laennec-treated group, polydeoxyribonucleotide-treated group, and 20% dextrose-treated group. Ligaments were collected at 1 week and 4 weeks after treatment. Histologic and biomechanical properties were analyzed. In vitro effects of Laennec and polydeoxyribonucleotide on fibrocytes were also analyzed. Although all other treatment groups showed increased inflammatory cells, the Laennec-treated group maintained cell counts and activated macrophage levels that were similar to the normal group. Unlike the saline-treated group and dextrose-treated group, the Laennec-treated group had low levels of degenerative changes at 4 weeks after treatment. Supportively, in vitro results showed that the Laennec-treated group had increased collagen type I, scleraxis (Scx) and tenomodulin (Tnmd) expression (p < 0.05). Our study demonstrates that Laennec treatment enhances wound healing of damaged ligament by suppressing immune responses and reducing degenerative changes of damaged ligament. In addition, we found that Laennec induces the gene expression of type I collagen, Scx and Tnmd in fibrocytes, suggesting that Laennec may facilitate regeneration of damaged ligaments. Therefore, we expect that Laennec can be a useful drug to treat injured ligament.

Liver regeneration is a very complex process and is regulated by several cytokines and growth factors. It is also known that liver transplantation and the regeneration process cause massive oxidative stress, which interferes with liver regeneration. The placenta is known to contain various physiologically active ingredients such as cytokines, growth factors, and amino acids. In particular, human placenta hydrolysate (hPH) has been found to contain many amino acids. Most of the growth factors found in the placenta are known to be closely related to liver regeneration. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether hPH is effective in promoting liver regeneration in rats undergoing partial hepatectomy. We confirmed that cell proliferation was significantly increased in HepG2 and human primary cells. Hepatocyte proliferation was also promoted in partial hepatectomized rats by hPH treatment. hPH increased liver regeneration rate, double nucleic cell ratio, mitotic cell ratio, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and K_i-67 positive cells in vivo as well as interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Moreover, Kupffer cells secreting IL-6 and TNF-α were activated by hPH treatment. In addition, hPH reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) and significantly increased glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Taken together, these results suggest that hPH promotes liver regeneration by activating cytokines and growth factors associated with liver regeneration and eliminating oxidative stress.

Because H5N1 influenza viruses continuously threaten the public health, the WHO has prepared various clades of H5N1 mock-up vaccines as one of the measures for pandemic preparedness. The recent worldwide outbreak of H5Nx virus which belongs to clade 2.3.4.4 and of which H5N6 subtype belongs and already caused human infection also increases the need of pandemic vaccine for such novel emerging viruses. In this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy and immunogenicity of an egg-based and inactivated whole-virus H5N8 (IDCDC-RG43A) developed by CDC containing HA and NA gene of the parent virus A/gyrfalcon/Washington/41088-6/2014. Mice vaccinated two times elicited low to moderate antibody titer in varying amount of antigen doses against the homologous H5N8 vaccine virus and heterologous intra-clade 2.3.4.4 H5N6 (A/Sichuan/26221/2014) virus. Mice immunized with at least 3.0 µg/dose of IDCDC-RG43A with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant were completely protected from lethal challenge with the mouse-adapted H5N8 (A/Environment/Korea/ma468/2015, maH5N8) as well as cleared the viral replication in tissues including lung, brain, spleen, and kidney. Vaccinated ferrets induced high antibody titers against clade 2.3.4.4 H5N8/H5N6 viruses and the antibody showed high cross-reactivity to clade 2.2 H5N1 but not to clade 1 and 2.3.4 viruses as measured by hemagglutinin inhibition and serum neutralization assays. Furthermore, administration of the vaccine in ferrets resulted in attenuation of clinical disease signs and virus spread to peripheral organs including lung, spleen, and kidney from high dose challenge with maH5N8 virus. The protective and immunogenic characteristic of the candidate vaccine are essential attributes to be considered for further clinical trials as a pre-pandemic vaccine for a potential pandemic virus.