{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T22:55:31Z","timestamp":1773096931142,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,27]],"date-time":"2025-08-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756252800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cFunctional research of fermented soybean food (safety monitoring)\u201d"},{"name":"Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Fermented foods are consumed in several cultures worldwide and their health benefits are being increasingly reported. Fermented soybean products in Asia include soybean paste (doenjang), fermented soybeans (cheonggukjang), red pepper paste (gochujang, GCJ), and natto. These fermented foods are reportedly associated with health benefits, including the alleviation of colitis and improvement of immune function. In this study, we investigated the immune-enhancing effects of GCJs produced in four different regions of Korea (including a commercial brand) in cyclophosphamide-treated immunosuppressed rats. The GCJs-treated group showed prevention of weight loss, increased levels of butyric acid in the cecum, and increased weight of lymphoid organs such as the thymus and spleen. Whole blood and serum analysis revealed increased numbers of white blood cells, including granulocytes and lymphocytes, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, IFN-\u03b3, and TNF-\u03b1), and elevated immunoglobulin G levels. Additionally, splenocyte proliferation, splenic natural killer cell activity, and immune-related signal pathways (MAPK and NF-\u03baB) were increased. Histological analysis revealed improved tissue structure in the GCJs group. In conclusion, these findings show that GCJs enhance immune function by promoting the growth of immune organs, increasing cytokine production, and activating immune-related signaling pathways. These results suggested the potential of traditional Korean GCJs as a dietary intervention to improve immune health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms26178325","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]],"date-time":"2025-08-28T09:31:12Z","timestamp":1756373472000},"page":"8325","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Immunomodulatory Effects of Traditional Korean Gochujang in Rats Immunosuppressed with Cyclophosphamide"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Hak Yong","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Young Mi","family":"Park","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dong Yeop","family":"Shin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hai Min","family":"Hwang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sung Hak","family":"Chun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sang Jin","family":"Lim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7061-0782","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hee-Jong","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Microbial Institute for Fermentation Industry (MIFI), Sunchang-gun 56048, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gwang Su","family":"Ha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Microbial Institute for Fermentation Industry (MIFI), Sunchang-gun 56048, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5164-4995","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Myeong Seon","family":"Ryu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Microbial Institute for Fermentation Industry (MIFI), Sunchang-gun 56048, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ji-Won","family":"Seo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Microbial Institute for Fermentation Industry (MIFI), Sunchang-gun 56048, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Do-Youn","family":"Jeong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Microbial Institute for Fermentation Industry (MIFI), Sunchang-gun 56048, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6650-2340","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jun Sang","family":"Bae","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4764-7640","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jae Gon","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INVIVO Co., Ltd., 121, Deahak-ro, Nonsan 32992, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1777","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(00)04904-7","article-title":"An overview of the immune system","volume":"357","author":"Parkin","year":"2001","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"90","article-title":"Immunosuppressants: A review","volume":"1","author":"Rathee","year":"2013","journal-title":"Pharma Innov."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e37845","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e37845","article-title":"Immune-enhancing effect of fermented soybean food, Cheonggukjang on cyclophosphamide-treated immunosuppressed rat","volume":"10","author":"Lee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4647","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.163.9.4647","article-title":"Cutting edge: Cross-talk between cells of the innate immune system: NKT cells rapidly activate NK cells","volume":"163","author":"Carnaud","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. 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