[The role of occupational factors in the development and course of respiratory sarcoidosis].

AIM: The aim of the study was to study the frequency of occurrence of exposure to harmful occupational factors in patients with sarcoidosis of the respiratory organs, depending on the course of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An open prospective study included 121 patients with sarcoidosis of the respiratory system from the age of 21 to 66 years, from 20072019. The diagnosis was histologically confirmed in all patients. Patients underwent a set of laboratory and instrumental examinations, studied profane history. The presence of a history of contact with harmful and dangerous production factors was clarified. To determine the effect of a harmful production factor on the course of sarcoidosis, patients were divided into 2 clinical groups: the first group consisted of 85 (70.2%) patients with a favorable course of the disease, the second group included 36 (29.8%) patients with an unfavorable course sarcoidosis (standardization coefficient between groups 2.4:1). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Among the examined patients of working age prevailed (87%). Patient groups were comparable by age, but statistically differed by gender (chi2=9.75, p=0.0018). Frequency analysis of the occurrence of harmful occupational factors in sarcoidosis of the respiratory organs showed that the most frequently encountered factors in all the studied groups were contact with chemical hazards. CONCLUSION: The presence of contact with harmful production factors increases the risk of an unfavorable course of sarcoidosis by more than 2 times.

Expression of Galectins-1 and Galectin-3 in Stomach and Colorectal Cancer with Tissue Eosinophilia.

We analyzed the expression of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in tumor tissue in stomach and colorectal cancer with and without tissue eosinophilia. Low expression of galectin-3 was detected in all patients with malignant gastrointestinal tumors irrespective of the presence of eosinophilia. Low expression of galectin-1 was detected only in patients with gastrointestinal cancer associated with eosinophilia. Association of galectin-1 expression with eosinophilic infiltration of the tumor tissue in stomach and colorectal cancer was detected.

Tumor-associated eosinophilia.

The review provides information on current literature on structural and functional features of eosinophilic granulocytes and their role in the pathogenesis of cancer. There are examined data of clinical and experimental studies about an influence of hemic and tissue eosinophilia on the course and prognosis of malignant tumors. Molecular mechanisms of action of eosinophils in tumor pathology are discussed.

[ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF ENDOSCOPIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE STOMACH MUCOSA WITH REDUCED PEPSINOGEN-I IN PATIENTS WITH H. PYLORI (H.P.)--ASSOCIATED GASTRITIS IN TOMSK AND TOMSK REGION].

AIM OF INVESTIGATION: To explore and describe the endoscopic picture of HP--associated atrophic gastritis and to analyze the specificity of endoscopic markers indicating the presence of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia using high-tech methods of endoscopy in comparison with morphological characteristics of atrophic gastritis defining the degree of activity and stage of atrophic gastritis according to the system OLGA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 people: males and females aged 40 to 70 years with a reduced level of pepsinogen I and a positive titre of antibodies to H. pylori in serum--were included into the study. THE RESULTS: Risk groups with atrophic gastritis based on indicators of pepsinogen 1 were formed. Endoscopic picture of H. Pylori--associated atrophic gastritis in patients with reduced level of pepsinogen I in serum is studied and described. Analysis of the specificity of endoscopic markers indicating the presence of AG, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia using high-tech methods of endoscopy (endoscopy with high resolution, magnifying endoscopy, chromoendoscopy and narrow band imaging endoscopy (NBI) is made. Analysis of their sensitivity in comparison with the results of morphological studies of biopsy material is made. CONCLUSION: Thus, these studies show that high-resolution endoscopy in combination with magnification and chromoendoscopy allows accurately identify areas of atrophy, intestinal.Narrow band imaging endoscopy (NBI) provides a detailed picture of the vascular pattern of tissues, pattern changes typical for pathological areas of inflammatory genesis, as well as for precancers and early cancers. All these methods have high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of HP-associated atrophic gastritis in comparison with the results of morphological studies of biopsy materials of stomach mucosa.

[IMMUNOGENETICS AND PROGRESSION OF CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITES].

AIM OF INVESTIGATION: To estimate the role of polymorphic variants of genes IL4 (C-590T), IL4RA (I50V), TNF (G-308A) and SLC1IAI (D543N) in chronic viral hepatitis progression. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Overall 121 patients with chronic viral hepatitis C and B. RESULTS: Study results have demonstrated, that of all investigated polymorphic variants of genes IL4 (C-590T), IL4RA (150V), TNF (G-308A) and SLC11A1 (D543N) in patients with chronic liver diseases of various etiology the <> IL4RA gene variant (II50Val) is associated with HBV-infection chronization. The allele <> gene TNF-α (G-308A) is protective for chronic viral hepatitis and is associated with a low level of production by mononuclear cells of TNF-α and IL-12, high secretion of IL-4 and low degree of collagenopathy in the liver. Genotype <> of IL4 (C-590T) gene is an adverse marker for progression of chronic viral hepatitis B. There was significant correlation of polymorphic variants TNF (G-308A) and IL4 (C-590T) genes with production of the key interleukins, that determine type of immune response (Th-1, Th-2) and products of collagen metabolism that testifies genetic determination of system immune response and collagen formation processes in the liver at chronic viral hepatitis.

[Myocardial structural and functional changes in patients with chronic viral hepatitis concurrent with chronic opisthorchiasis].

The aim of the investigation was to study the myocardium in patients with chronic viral hepatitis concurrent with chronic opisthorchiasis. Ninety patients with chronic viral hepatitis, including 52 patients with this disease concurrent with chronic opisthorchiasis, were examined. Doppler echocardiography indicated a statistically significant increase in left ventricular mass regardless of the presence of Opisthorchis infestation. Analysis of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction showed its great degree in chronic hepatitis C. Single-photon emission computed tomography with 99mTc-pyrophosphate revealed focal tracer incorporation in the myocardium of most patients with Opisthorchis infestation. A third of patients with chronic viral hepatitis showed moderate diffuse trace accumulation that was significantly more frequently found in chronic hepatitis C. Single photon-emission tomography with labeled leukocytes demonstrated abnormal accumulation in none of the patients; troponin T levels were in the normal allowable range. Myocardial lesion was detected in the chronic course of viral hepatitis C concurrent with chronic opisthorchiasis that was unattended by cardiomyocyte necrosis and that was dystrophic.

[The parameters of collagen proteolytic and metabolic systems in chronic liver diseases of viral and toxic etiologies].

AIM: To study a relationship of the plasma activity of elastase-like and collagenase-like proteinases and their inhibitors to hepatic collagen metabolism and to detect the serum markers of fibrosis severity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and fifty-nine patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD), including 118 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH), 113 with CVH concurrent with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), 109 with ALD, and 19 with CLD in the presence of opiomania were examined. The activities of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor and alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2-MG) were determined by the unified spectrophometric assay from the inhibition of N-benzoyl-arginine ethyl ester hydrolysis. The activity of elastase-like proteinases was determined by enzymatic assay from the hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate N-butyloxycarbonyl-L-alanine-para-nitrophenyl ester. That of collagenase-like proteinases was determined, by using a collagen type 1 substrate and expressed in terms of micromoles of the resultant hydroxyproline. The content of hydroxyproline was determined by a color reaction with demethylbenzaldehyde, a free, peptide- and protein-bound hydroxyproline; their fraction was obtained under various conditions of plasma protein isolation and hydrolysis. Plasma fibronectin levels were measured by solid-phase immunoassay. Liver biopsy specimens were morphologically studied in the majority of patients to determine the histological hepatitis activity index and the stage of fibrosis. RESULTS: Fibrois formation in the liver in its chronic diseases was attended by a significant reduction in the activity of collagenase-like proteinases hydrolyzing collagen and by the lower activity of alpha2-MG, an inhibitor limiting collagen formation. CONCLUSION: The identified changes make themselves evident just in early fibrosis, which suggests the rapid onset of imbalance in the mechanisms responsible for regulation of connective tissue synthesis and promotes intensified fibrosis formation.

[Immunoregulatory cytokines and chronization of type C hepatitis: matching of clinical and immunological manifestations].

The study demonstrates significant changes of cytokine-producing ability of mononuclear blood leucocytes in type 'hepatitis, correlating with the degree of hepatic lesion. The results showed that various morphologic types of chronic virus type C hepatitis were associated with disbalance in production of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines, i.e. decrease of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha concentration and a significant rise of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 concentations, which were the most prominent in cases of severe hepatic fibrosis and high histologic activity of hepatitis. The study established a direct correlation between increase of the ability of mononuclear blood leucocytes to synthesize IL-4, and the progress of the pathologic process.