Efficacy of dispersed fibrous carbon sorbent in treatment of malignant fungating wounds.

AIM: To evaluate the influence of dispersed fibrous carbon sorbent (DFCS) on malignant fungating wounds (MFWs) in Guerin's carcinoma-bearing rats with an assessment of wound bacterial microflora. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on female Wistar rats inoculated subcutaneously with Guerin T8 carcinoma into the upper interscapular region. On day 20, the tumors were infected by injecting the suspension of S. aureus 8325-4. After 24 h, gauze dressings were applied daily to the wounds in the control group and DFCS in the experimental one. The state of the wounds was assessed by visual control with photo monitoring, odor control on a verbal rating scale and microbiological analysis of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of wound microbiota. RESULTS: On the 3rd day after the start of dressings, the number of S. aureus of 8325-4 strain was significantly higher in the wounds of rats in control group than experimental one (5.14 ± 0.27 vs 3.43 ± 0.33 lg CFU/ml). The total number of Staphylococci in the DFCS-treated wounds did not differ statistically from the number of S. aureus 8325-4 strain whereas in control ones were higher by an order of magnitude. On the 10th day the total number of Staphylococci and S. aureus 8325-4 in particular, remained consistently high in the wounds of the control rats, while was almost five orders of magnitude lower and represented mainly by S. aureus 8325-4 in the experimental ones. The total number of aerobic and optionally anaerobic microorganisms was significantly lower as well. A greater variety of microorganisms in the gauze-covered wounds, as well as an their increased number were accompanied by enhancement of the wound odor from "noticeable" to "strong". There was an appearance of a "barely noticeable" odor in only one animal from the experimental group. CONCLUSION: The study has demonstrated the ability of DFCS to control substantially the bacterial microflora as well as malodor of MWFs in vivo. The results obtained can contribute to solving the problem of improving the quality of palliative care for patients with malignant and other chronic wounds.

Probiotic strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria alter pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines production in rats with monosodium glutamate-induced obesity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of probiotic strains of Lactobacillus casei IMV B-7280, Bifidobacterium animalis VKL, B. animalis VKB on the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines production in Wistar male rats with monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity. It was established that neonatal administration of MSG to rats leads to increasing levels of the interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-12, and to decreasing ofthe IL-4, IL-10 and tumor growthfactor (TGF)-ß levels in the bloodserum. After administration of the B. animalis VKL - B. animalis VKB - L. casei IMV B-7280 composition to obese rats the level of the IL-lP in blood serum wasn't differ from that in the obese rats, that didn't receive of the probiotic bacteria. But there was no statistically signifcant difference comparing with intact rats. The level of the IL-12B p4O in blood serum was decreased under influence of the B. animalis VKL - B. animalis VKB - L. casei IMV B-7280 composition (18.9%, p < 0.05) and B. animalis VKL (10.5%, p < 0.05) compared with obese rats, not receiving probiotic bacteria, but remained higher than in intact animals. After administration to obese rats ofthe B. animalis VKL - B. animalis VKB - L. casei IMV B-7280 composition the levels ofthe IL-4, IL- 10 and TGF-ß increased in blood serum comparing with obese rats, not receiving probiotic bacteria. The level of the IL-10 also increased under influence of the B. animalis VKB, and IL-4 - under influence of the L. casei IMVB-7280. Our results suggest that these probiotic bacteria and probiotic composition are able to down-regulation the inflammation in rats with MSG-induced obesity but the strongest anti-inflammatory effects have probiotic composition. The ability of lactobacilli and bifdobacteria to alter the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines production, opens perspectives to create new treatments for obesity and metabolic syndrome based on probiotics.

OBTAINING OF THE TRANSGENIC HELIANTHUS TUBEROSUS L. PLANTS, CALLUS AND "HAIRY" ROOT CULTURES ABLE TO EXPRESS THE RECOMBINANT HUMAN INTERFERON ALPHA-2b GENE.

This work is the first to our knowledge to describe the successful attempt of Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of topinambour in order to obtain the transgenic H. tuberosus plants, callus and "hairy" root cultures. The plasmid vectors contained the sequence of interferon gene fused with Nicotiana plumbagenifolia L. calreticulin apoplast targeting signal driven by 35S CaMV promoter or root-specific Mll promoter. Nearly 75% isolated Ri-root lines and callus cultures were proved (by PCR analysis) to contain HuINFa-2b transgene. We also managed to obtain H. tuberosus transgenic plants through somatic embryogenesis on the transgenic "hairy" root culture. The obtained transgenic H. tuberosus cultures exhibited high-level antiviral activity that ranged from 2000 to 54500 IU/g FW that makes this crop considered a promising source of recombinant interferon alpha 2b protein.

[THE INFLUENCE OF NANODISPERSE CERIUM DIOXIDE ON ONTOGENETIC CHANGES OF ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM IN THE MUCOSA OF THE STOMACH AND COLON IN RATS].

It was established that with age the content of lipid peroxidation products increased in the mucosa of the stomach: Diene conjugates by 30%, products which react to thiobarbituric acid by 285% and Schif bases by 181%. Nanodisperse cerium dioxide (NCD) reduced the content of lipid peroxidation in the gastric mucosa in old rats: Diene conjugates by 43 %, products which react to thiobarbituric acid by 51% and Schif bases by 44% relative to the control group of rats given age. Similarly, it was established that the content of Diene conjugates increased by 40%, products which react to thiobarbituric acid by 114% and Schif bases by 132% in the mucosa of the colon of old rats. NDC significant reduced the content of products which react to thiobarbituric acid by 69% and Schyf basics by 132%. In the stomach superoxide dismutase (by 43%) and catalase activity (by 24%) decreases with age, while in the colon superoxide dismutase activity increases (by 43%). In the colon NCD significant decreased superoxide dismutase (by 34%) and catalase activity (by 21%) relative to controls. Thus, the NDC restores lipid peroxidation in the gastric mucosa and colon, in which develops oxidative stress with age.

Ribonuclease activity of buckwheat plant (Fagopyrum esculentum) cultivars with different sensitivities to buckwheat burn virus.

Ribonucleases (RNases) are present in base-level amounts in intact plants, but this level is able to increase greatly under stress conditions. The possible cause for such an increase is protection against plant RNA-virus attack. Buckwheat burn virus (BBV) is a highly virulent pathogen that belongs to Rhabdoviridae family. In our study, we have analyzed the correlation between RNase activity and resistance of different buckwheat cultivars to BBV infection. Two cultivars, Kara-Dag and Roksolana, with different sensitivities to BBV have been used. Kara-Dag is a cultivar with medium sensitivity to virus and Roksolana is a tolerant cultivar. It has been shown that the base level of RNase activity in Roksolana cultivar was in most cases higher than the corresponding parameter in Kara-Dag cultivar. Both infected and uninfected plants of Roksolana cultivar demonstrated high RNase activity during two weeks. Whereas infected plants of Kara-Dag cultivar demonstrated unstable levels of RNase activity. Significant decline in RNase activity was detected on the 7th day post infection with subsequent gradual increase in RNase activity. Decline of the RNase activity during the first week could promote the virus replication and therefore more successful infection of upper leaves of plants. Unstable levels of RNase activity in infected buckwheat plants may be explained by insufficiency of virus-resistant mechanisms that determines the medium sensitivity of the cultivar to BBV. Thus, plants of buckwheat cultivar having less sensitivity to virus, displayed in general higher RNase activity.

Antistaphylococcal action of lacto- and bifidobacteria and interleukn-2.

Antistaphylococcal action of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMV B-7281, L. acidophilus LMV B-7279 and Bifidobacterium animalis VKB as well as interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been determined on the model of experimental staphylococcal infection in mice. It has been established that peroral administration of certain probiotic strains of lacto- and bifidobacteria or composition L. acidophilus LMV B-7279--L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus IMV B-7281 with IL-2 to mice favored the reducing of terms of staphylococcus persistence in the kidneys of experimental mice. The studied schemes are promising for treatment of patients with surgical infection.

Effect of tilorone and its analogues on the change of mitochondrial potential of rat hepatocytes.

The influence of tilorone dihydrochloride and its analogues--diphenyl derivatives on the changes of transmembrane potential of mitochondrial membranes of the isolated rat hepatocytes has been estimated. Authors have shown a significant increase in mitochondrial potential thirty minutes after the introduction of the test compounds to the cells using the fluorescent probe JC-1. These results indicate the rapid activation with tilorone and its analog--dihydrochloryde 4,4'-bis-[2-(diethylamino)ethoxy]diphenyl--of the RLR signaling pathway. The final stage of this pathway is the cell production of IFN type I. The authors concluded that there is an increasing of the organelles resistance to the extra/intracellular damaging agents under the influence of the test compounds.

Antibacterial activity of cerium colloids against opportunistic microorganisms in vitro.

The CeO2 sol with the size of nanoparticles 2-4 nm has been synthesized. It has been determined that the synthesized nanocrystalline cerium has antibacterial activity in vitro against different groups of opportunistic microorganisms: clinical strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The rate of viability depression of test-cultures depends on the concentration of cerium dioxide nanoparticles and time of incubation. It is shown that the sol interacts with the bacterial cell surface. It is suggested that the observed differences of antibacterial action of nanocrystalline cerium dioxide can be related to the structural characteristics of the cell surface.

Effect of cord blood cells on interferonogenesis and effector cells of immune system.

Human cord blood cells were shown to produce interferon-alpha- and -gamma in vitro, both spontaneously and following adequate induction. Transplantation of human blood cord cells to mice led to endogenous interferonogenesis activation, serum interferon levels as well as interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma synthesis by activated peripheral blood leucocytes becoming higher. The maximal interferon accumulation in murine blood sera following transplantation did not coincide with interferonogenesis dynamics observed due to the effect of standard early and late interferon inducers - poly I:C and ridostin, respectively. Interferonogenesis activation was accompanied by increased functional activty of phagocytic system cells.