Activity of Monoamine Oxidase in the Nigrostriatal System at Presymptomatic and Early Symptomatic Stages of Parkinsonism in Mice.

Activities of monoamine oxidases A and B were examined on the models of presymptomatic and early symptomatic stages of Parkinson's disease developed in mice treated with MPTP, a specific neurotoxin affecting dopaminergic neurons. Activity of monoamine oxidases A, the key enzyme of dopamine degradation, is increased in neuronal somas during the symptomatic stage, and it is augmented in the axons during both stages. Neuronal activity of monoamine oxidases A is higher during the symptomatic stage than that during the presymptomatic stage, which can explain depletion of intercellular dopamine and appearance of motor disturbances. Activity of monoamine oxidase B in the striatum is reduced during the presymptomatic stage, but returns to the control level during the symptomatic stage. Variation in monoamine oxidase activity seems to reflect the compensatory mechanisms triggered in degrading nigrostriatal dopaminergic system.

[Analysis of outbreak of anthrax in Omsk region in 2010].

AIM: Carrying out analysis of epizootologic-epidemiologic situation on anthrax that had emerged in Omsk region in 2010 when horse meat from epizootic focus of anthrax was used in production of meat semi-finished products. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study of samples for detection of anthrax causative agents and strain identification was performed according to guidelines 1.3.2569-09. Strain genotyping was performed by MLVA method. RESULTS: The epizootologic-epidemiologic investigation performed allowed to detect the causes of emergence of anthrax outbreak, its routes and factors of transmission. MLVA genotyping results gave evidence on the single origin of Bacillus anthracis strains isolated from sick animals, humans and food substances. CONCLUSION: Timely execution of a complex of epizootic and epidemic control measures allowed to localize epizootic and epidemic focus of anthrax as well as prevent a possible large scale development of epidemic complications.

[Mass spectrometry detection of monomeric renalase in human urine].

Renalase is a recently discovered secretory protein, which is suggested to play a role (which still remains elusive) in regulation of blood pressure. Earlier it was purified from urine of healthy volunteers by means of ammonium sulfate fractionation and subsequent affinity chromatography (Xu et al. (2005) J. Clin. Invest., 115, 1275). The resultant purified preparation of renalase contained 2 proteins with molecular masses of 35 and 67-75 kDa. The authors believed that the latter represents a dimerization (aggregation) product of the 35 kDa protein. In this study we have detected relanase in urinary samples of 2 of 6 volunteers only after immunoaffinity enrichment of urinary samples subjected to ammonium sulfate precipitation. Electrophoresis of the purified preparation also demonstrated the presence of 2 proteins with molecular masses of 35 and 66 kDa, respectively. Mass spectrometry analysis of these proteins identified 35 and 66 kDa proteins as renalase and serum albumin, respectively. Thus, our results do not support suggestion on formation of renalase dimers and they indicate that urinary renalase excretion significantly varies in humans.

Effect of afobazole on mitochondrial monoamine oxidase A activity in vitro.

Selective anxiolytic afobazole (1 mM) inhibits monoamine oxidase A activity in mitochondria from rat brain and liver (IC(50) 0.36 and 0.43, respectively). Effect of the compound does not depend on the time of preincubation with mitochondria. Triple washout of mitochondria is followed by complete recovery of initial enzyme activity.

[Methodic approaches to testing Bacillus anthracis susceptibility to antibacterials].

Susceptibility of 50 isolates of Bacillus anthracis to 24 antibiotics was tested by the disk-diffusion method and the method of serial dilutions in solid media. The tests allowed to determine the boundary values of the growth inhibition zones and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the antibiotics for susceptible and resistant strains of B. anthracis. Nutrient media and reference strains for testing antibiotic susceptibility of B. anthracis are recommended.

[Properties of live antibiotics-resistant anthrax vaccine STI-PR after long-term storage].

Study showed that cultural, morphologic, genetic, immunologic characteristics, and resistance to antibiotics of STI-PR anthrax vaccine did not change after storage during 20 years in lyophilized condition. It has been shown that medium for lyophilization plays important role in preservation of vitality of anthrax spores. Optimal preservative properties have been observed for thioureal and sucrose-gelatinous media for lyophilization. Obtained results give reasons for prolongation of shelf live of STI-PR vaccine from 2 - 3 to 5 - 8 years.

[Characterization of Bacillus anthracis typical virulent test strain 81/1].

The results of the prolonged and many-sided study of B. anthracis strain 81/1 by different authors are presented. The cultural and morphological, biochemical, antigenic, molecular-genetic characteristics of this strain give grounds for regarding it as a typical test strain to be used for the determination of the vaccines immunogenicity, the effectiveness of antibiotics and immunomodulators.

TEM and HREM of diamond crystals grown on Si tips: structure and results of ion-beam-treatment.

Diamond single crystals were grown on the silicon whiskers by a hot filament chemical vapor deposition technique at the filament temperature about 2100 degrees C and the temperature of support 800 degrees C. Specimens were examined by SEM, TEM, HRTEM and SAED. When the filament temperature was about 1900 degrees C globular polycrystalline diamond particles were grown. At a support temperature more then 800 degrees C SiC nanoparticles were formed. To investigate the ion etching process of the silicon tip/diamond system, tips were treated with an Ar(+) beam with energy up to 30 kV. The results depend on fluence: at 4 x 10(18)ion/cm(2) diamonds and partially Si tips were destroyed, amorphous layer was formed (sometimes with nanometric size fragments of diamond); at 1 x 10(18)ion/cm(2) sharpened diamonds (radius of curvature about 20 nm) covered with amorphous layer (radius about 80 nm) probably with nanoclusters of diamond were observed; at 4.4 x 10(17) ion/cm(2) there was no visible tip sharpening but formation of amorphous thick layer occurred. The emission characteristics of Si tips covered with diamond were improved due to ion treatment. Since such tips in our case were covered with amorphous layer containing nanometric size fragments of diamond, we suppose this layer is responsible for electron emission improvement.

[The effect of long-term administration of isatin and himantan to mice on sensitivity of brain monoamine oxidase B to inhibition by deprenyl in vivo and in vitro]. / Vliianie dlitel'nogo vvedeniia mysham izatina i gimantana na chuvstvitel'nost' monoaminoksidazy B mozga k ingibirovaniu deprenilom in vivo i in vitro.

Chronic administration of a low dose of reversible monoamine oxidase (MAO) B inhibitors isatin or himantane (20 mg/kg) to mice during 21 day did not influence the enzyme activity assayed in isolated brain mitochondria. However in vivo sensitivity of brain MAO B to irreversible mechanism-based inhibitor deprenyl injected to animals right after the last administration of the reversible inhibitor sharply decreased. This suggests accumulation of these compounds (or their metabolites?) in the brain accompanied by increased protection of active site of MAO B against specific irreversible inhibitor. deprenyl. In vitro inhibition of MAO B activity in mitochondria isolated from brain of mice treated with isatin or himantane was somewhat higher than in control mitochondria. The latter suggests that long-term treatment of animals with reversible easily dissociating inhibitors may influence regulatory properties of MAO B.

[Effect of a new antiparkinsonian drug himantane on monoamine oxidase activity]. / Vliianie novogo protivoparkinsonicheskogo preparata gimantana na aktivnost' monoaminoksidaz.

N-2(adamantyl)hexamethyleneimine hydrochloride (hemantane) is a new potential antiparkinsonian drug targeted at several neurochemical systems. The drug exhibits the properties of a low-affinity noncompetitive blocker of the ion channels of glutamate NMDA receptors. Hemantane increases the content of dopamine in the striatum, while decreasing the level of dopamine metabolite dioxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). Investigation of the drug interaction with monoamine oxidases (MAOs) of the A and B types in vitro showed that hemantane acts as a weak competitive inhibitor of MAO-B (Ki = 470 +/- 70 microM) and partly protected MAO-B from irreversible inhibition by selegiline (deprenyl), while virtually not influencing the activity of MAO-A. Administered to C57BL6 mice (20-100 mg/kg), hemantane did not influence the activity of MAO-B measured in isolated cerebral mitochondria. At the same time, hemantane administered in combination with deprenyl significantly reduced activity of the latter drug and caused pronounced irreversible inhibition of mitochondrial MAO-B (comparable with the effect of deprenyl introduced alone). Therefore, inhibition of MAO-B may contribute to the spectrum of neurochemical activity of hemantane.

Interaction of plant polysomes with the actin cytoskeleton.

Protein composition and functional activity of various polysome subpopulations isolated from Vicia faba L. leaves and Triticum aestivum L. and Hordeum vulgare L. seedlings were studied. Membrane- and cytoskeleton-bound polysomes were more active in the wheat germ cell-free translational system than free polysomes. Several non-ribosomal proteins were detected in the polysome preparations by gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis: (1) a canonical actin of mol wt 42 kDa; (2) a 40 kDa protein, demonstrating affinity for ribosomes, sharing some determinants with actin, and present predominantly in the subpopulations of bound polysomes; and (3) an acidic ribosome-associated p40 evenly distributed between free and bound polysomes. The possibility of involvement of these proteins in interactions between polysomes and the actin cytoskeleton is discussed.

[Multiple forms of monoamine oxidase in the growing human placenta]. / Mnozhestvennye formy monoaminoksidazy v rastushchei platsente cheloveka.

A ratio between two types of monoamine oxidase (MAO) was studied in the mitochondrial fraction of growing human placenta: MAO-A which is predominant in the tissue and the minor MAO-B. Activity of MAO-A with serotonin as a substrate was statistically distinctly lower (by 22%) in placenta within early periods of pregnancy as compared which the mature placenta during the delivery time. In the growing placenta activity of MAO-B with benzylamine as a substrate reached 365% of the MAO-B activity in the mature placenta. The ratio between MAO of the A and B types was altered during pregnancy as shown by inhibitory analysis, carried out using selective inhibitors of the MAO-A and -B types--Lilly 51641 substance and deprenyl as well as with semicarbazide as an inhibitor of benzylamine oxidase. At the early periods of pregnancy the rate of placental MAO-B oxidative deamination of benzylamine was distinctly higher as compared with that during the delivery act. At the same time, content of semicarbazide-sensitive benzylamine oxidase was increased during the delivery period. Possible biological significance of alterations in the amine oxidases ratio in the growing placenta is discussed considering the known property of the MAO-B inhibitor pargyline to cause abortion within early periods of pregnancy.

[Comparative characteristics of membrane bound and cytoplasmic monoamine oxidases in human placenta]. / Sravnitel'naia kharakteristika membranno-sviazannykh i tsitoplazmaticheskoi monoaminoksidaz platsenty cheloveka.

Catalytic and physico-chemical properties of human placental monoamine oxidases (MAO) were studied. Both forms of the enzyme, membrane-bound and soluble, exhibited similar properties: optimal activity at pH8.3, equal rate of inhibition with selective MAO inhibitors, identical substrate specificity (the best substrate--serotonin). Some specific differences were found only for cytoplasmic (soluble) MAO: lower affinity for substrates as compared with membrane-bound enzymes, reversible interaction with an inhibitor Lilly 51641 even after long-term preincubation, whereas the mitochondrial MAO bound Lilly 51641 irreversibly. The property of cytoplasmic MAO to form aggregates during storage and/or in gel filtration and concentration did not affect the main catalytic properties of soluble enzyme. Analysis of isoenzyme spectra of membrane-bound and cytoplasmic MAO by means of selective inhibitors and electrophoresis showed that MAO of the two types--A and B were detected in all the subcellular fractions studied. Subunits of MAO of the A type had molecular masses 62, 61 and 61 kDa and of MAO of the B type--51, 55 and 55 kDa in mitochondria, microsomes and cytosol, respectively.

[A trial to decrease hepatitis A morbidity in Dzerzhinsk, Gorki Province]. / Opyt snizheniia zabolevaemosti gepatitom A v Dzerzhinske Gor'kovskoi obl.

The results of experience in the comparative evaluation of the preseasonal immunoglobulin prophylaxis in two towns of the Gorki Province are presented. The work substantiates the economic and epidemiological effectiveness of immunoglobulin prophylaxis at the territory, relatively safe with respect to hepatitis A, under the conditions of its realization in the year of the predicted rise of morbidity, the timely organization of immunoglobulin prophylaxis (from July to the first half of October) and the coverage of "organized" children, exceeding 90%.

Inhibition of monoamine oxidase by esters and peptides of aromatic amino acids.

Methyl esters of aromatic a-amino acids, peptides with N-terminal tyrosine and C-terminal arginine, and amides of peptides with N-terminal aromatic amino acids all inhibit monoamine oxidases A and B from rat liver mitochondria with an IC50 of 0.2-3 mM.

[Interaction of placental diamine oxidase with carboxyl-substituted lysine]. / Vzaimodeistvie platsentarnoi diaminoksidazy s karboksilzameshchennym lizinom.

The interaction between diamine oxidase (DAO) of human placenta and carboxyl-substituted lysines, including N-terminal lysine containing peptides, occurs at rather a high rate and is characterized by the following features. First, the enzyme catalyzes the oxidative deamination of one amino group in the N-terminal lysine at a rate which is inversely proportional to the peptide length. Second, the bound derivatives induce a noncompetitive reversible inhibition of DAO which is enhanced during their coincubation. The inhibiting capacity of this compound is directly proportional to the peptide length; therefore, the tripeptides with the N-terminal lysine can be effective inhibitors that are not practically deaminated in the presence of DAO. Third, the binding of carboxyl-substituted lysines to DAO as well as the inhibition reaction are reversible processes and, with some limitations, can be used for enzyme purification. An analysis of the total activity of DAO in the placenta before and after fractionation of tissue extracts on molecular sieves showed that part of the enzyme is in a blocked state in vivo which does not exclude the possibility that N-terminal lysine containing peptides are related to natural DAO inhibitors.