ABSTRACT
It is known that highly diluted substances can exert a modifying effect on the initial substances without direct contact with them (distant interaction). The capability of high dilutions of IFNγ and Na2SO4 for the distant modifying effect was studied by the method of terahertz spectroscopy. Statistically significant differences were shown between terahertz characteristics of the initial solution of IFNγ protein and solution that had interacted with high dilutions of IFNγ; in case of sodium sulfate, no such differences were detected. Thus, high dilutions exert a distant modifying effect on the initial substances with complex spatial structure typical of biological molecules.
ABSTRACT
High dilutions of solutions containing extremely small amounts of the initial substance can modify the biological effects of the initial substance molecules. Using terahertz spectroscopy, we studied the possibility of modifying the physicochemical properties of the initial substance by adding high dilutions of high-molecular-weight (IFNγ) and low-molecular-weight (Na2SO4) compounds. In addition, the modifying effect produced by high dilutions of a low-molecular electrolyte (a solution of Na2SO4 salt) on the initial substance was confirmed by conductometry. This method allows measuring electrical conductivity that also depends on the physicochemical properties of the solution, namely, the number of ions and velocity of their movement. Statistically significant differences were shown between terahertz and conductometric characteristics of the initial solution (inorganic salt Na2SO4 or a protein IFNγ) and a solution, where high dilutions of the same substances were added in different concentrations. Interestingly, the differences were more pronounced for the biological molecule. Thus, it has been shown that high dilutions can change the properties of the initial solution; the effect is more pronounced for the protein solution.
Subject(s)
Interferon-gamma , Sulfates , Sulfates/chemistry , Sodium Chloride/pharmacology , SodiumABSTRACT
Apoptosis can be induced by activation of so-called "death receptors" (extrinsic pathway) or multiple apoptotic factors (intrinsic pathway), which leads to release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. This event is considered to be a point of no return in apoptosis. One of the most important events in the development of apoptosis is the enhancement of cytochrome c peroxidase activity upon its interaction with cardiolipin, which modifies the active center of cytochrome c. In the present work, we have investigated the effects of nitric oxide on the cytochrome c peroxidase activity when cytochrome c is bound to cardiolipin or sodium dodecyl sulfate. We have observed that cytochrome c peroxidase activity, distinctly increased due to the presence of anionic lipids, is completely suppressed by nitric oxide. At the same time, nitrosyl complexes of cytochrome c, produced in the interaction with nitric oxide, demonstrated sensitivity to laser irradiation (441 nm) and were photolyzed during irradiation. This decomposition led to partial restoration of cytochrome c peroxidase activity. Finally, we conclude that nitric oxide and laser irradiation may serve as effective instruments for regulating the peroxidase activity of cytochrome c, and, probably, apoptosis.
