ABSTRACT
Experimental serological tests were developed to determine anti-tularensis antibodies in humans in immunochromatography formats (LF-test LPS Ft15) and enzyme immunoassay (ELISA LPS Ft15) using as an antigen highly purified LPS F. tularensis 15 NIIEG. Analysis was conducted of the sensitivity and specificity of the developed tests and commercial tularemia antigen «RNGA-Tul-AG¼ (production Stavropol research anti-plague Institute) in comparison with the commercial reference antigen, registered in the Russian Federation for the quantitative determination of human IgG tularemia - «ELISA classic Francisella tularensis IgG¼ SERION, Germany (IgG SERION ELISA). A study of human blood serum vaccinated against tularemia showed that the sensitivity and specificity of detection of anti-tularemia antibodies by «ELISA LPS Ft15¼ were 97.7 and 100%, compared with «ELISA IgG series¼. When determining antitularemia antibodies with the diagnosis «LF-test LPS Ft15¼, these parameters were compared to «ELISA IgG series¼ 94.3 and 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of «RNGA-Tul-AG¼ made compared to the «IgG ELISA, SERION¼ of 59.1% and 80%.
Subject(s)
Tularemia , Antibodies, Bacterial , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , Russia , Serologic TestsABSTRACT
There is evidence that the facultatively intracellular pathogen affects the functional capacity of phagocytes, which is associated with their bactericidal against a tularemic microbe with varying phenotypic properties. The tularemic microbe of the subspecies Francisella subsp. tularensis and F. tularensis subsp. mediaasiatica is shown to influence the phagocytic capacity of immunocompetent cells, resulting in incomplete phagocytosis. This is corroborated by the lower functional activity of neutrophils and macrophages in the interaction with tularemic microbe of the subspecies tularensis and mediaasiatica to a greater extent than in that with the representatives of other studied F. tularensis subspecies. The low content of cationic protein and the suppressed activity of NO-synthase may be associated with the loss of activity of the enzyme and cationic protein during phagocytosis of the tularemic microbe. The findings are of prognostic value in characterizing the severity of a pathological process caused by F. tularensis and in designing diagnostic and prophylactic agents.
Subject(s)
Francisella tularensis/pathogenicity , Tularemia/immunology , Tularemia/metabolism , Animals , Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/metabolism , Francisella tularensis/classification , Guinea Pigs , Macrophages, Peritoneal/immunology , Macrophages, Peritoneal/metabolism , Neutrophils/immunology , Neutrophils/metabolism , Nitric Oxide Synthase/metabolism , Phagocytosis , VirulenceABSTRACT
m-[4-Oxo-4-(piperazin-1-yl)butyrylamino)]benzoyl-D,L-beta-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-beta-alanine, a new mimetic of the peptide RGDF, was synthesized. This compound inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation in human blood plasma enriched with platelets with IC50 3.5 x 10(-8) M. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 30, no. 6; see also http://www.maik.ru.
Subject(s)
Alanine/analogs & derivatives , Alanine/chemistry , Alanine/chemical synthesis , Blood Platelets/drug effects , Oligopeptides/chemical synthesis , Piperazines/chemistry , Piperazines/chemical synthesis , Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/chemical synthesis , Adenosine Diphosphate/pharmacology , Alanine/pharmacology , Blood Platelets/physiology , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Molecular Mimicry , Oligopeptides/chemistry , Oligopeptides/pharmacology , Piperazines/pharmacology , Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/chemistry , Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Under conditions of artificial water biocenosis a virulent strain of F. tularensis could be detected in fresh water shrimps and mollusks for about a month, in Conepoda for up to 20 days and in Chydorus sphaericus for up to 7 days from the moment of the aquaria water contamination. In silt F. tularensis could be detected for a longer period (up to 2 months). Daphnia, Oligochaeta and C. sphaericus appeared to be unfavorable environment for this microorganism. The virulence level of F. tularensis microbial cells decreased in paralell with prolongation of their stay in water biocenosis. The presence of water biota favours F. tularensis preservation in water reservoirs for a longer time.
