Corrigendum to: Recent Developments in the Field of Tumor-Inhibiting Metal Complexes.

An article was published in the journal "Current Pharmaceutical Design", Volume 9, No. 25, 2003, pp: 2078-2089 [1]. The first author is requesting an alteration in the name. Details of a correction are provided here. The original name published was Markus Galanski. The request is to change the name to Mathea Sophia Galanski. The original article can be found online at: https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/8545 We regret the error and apologize to readers.

Thymus Polypeptide Preparation Tactivin Restores Learning and Memory in Thymectomied Rats.

We studied the effects of tactivin and splenic polypeptides on learning and memory of thymectomized animals. In 3-week rats, thymectomy blocked active avoidance conditioning. Injections of tactivin (0.5 mg/kg) during 1 month after surgery restored learning capacity; splenic polypeptides were ineffective.

[The influence of the thymus peptides on analgesia caused by acute and chronic immobilization].

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the influence of thymic polypeptides on pain sensitivity and to analyze a possible role of the opioid system in the implementation of the analgesia caused by immobilization stress. METHODS: The study was performed on male Wistar rats at the Moscow state University named after M. V. Lomonosov. We studied effects of thymus peptides: thymuline (0.15 mg/kg), fraction 5 thymosin (0.25 microgram/kg) and cattle thymus extracted product (CTEP) (0.5 mg/kg) on pain sensitivity in rats using test "tail flick" without stress, with acute (3 h) and sub acute (12 h) immobilization stress. The comparison groups were animals treated with saline and spleen polypeptides. RESULTS: It is shown that preparations of thymus increase the threshold of pain sensitivity in the intact animals. Immobilization stress duration 3 and 12 h in thymus peptides treated rats caused a less pronounced increase in pain threshold than in the control groups (immobilization stress 3 h: CTEP--p = 0.025, thymuline--p = 0.022, fraction 5 thymosin--p = 0.033; immobilization stress 12 h: CTEP--p = 0.034, thymuline--p = 0.027, fraction 5 thymosin--p = 0.036). The opioid receptor blocker naloxone (1 mg/kg) did not completely block the stress-induced analgesia, indicating the presence of both opioid and non -opioid components in this state. In thymus peptides treated rats, opioid component was less pronounced than in the control groups (CTEP--p = 0.031, thymuline--p = 0.026, fraction 5 thymosin--p = 0.029). CONCLUSION: Pre-activation of the opioid system by the thymus polypeptides leads to an increase in the share of non-opioid component of the stress-induced analgesia and prevents the depletion of the opioid system in immobilization stress.

Stress-protective effect of thymic peptides.

Experiments on Wistar rats showed that thymic peptides produce a stress-protective effect that manifested in prevention of functional impairment of conditioned active avoidance response and a decrease in generalized motor activity typical of higher nervous activity failure. We concluded that thymic peptides significantly modulate integrative functions of the brain and produce a stress-protective effect.

[Neuropeptides, Cytokines and Thymus Peptides as Effectors of Interactions Between Thymus and Neuroendocrine System].

The review presents data on mutual influence of nervous system and thymus, realized through the neuroendocrine-immune interactions. The pres- ence of adrenergic and peptidergic nerves in thymus creates conditions for implementation of the effect of neuropeptides secreted by them. These neuropeptides induce activation of thymus cells receptors and influence on the main processes in thymus, including T-lymphocyte maturation, cytokine and hormones production. In turn, thymuspeptides and/or cytokines, controlled by them, enter the brain and exert influence on neuro- nalfunction, which creates the basis for changes of behavior and homeostasis maintenance in response to infection. Ageing and some infectious, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and cancer diseases are accompanied by distortion of interactions between thymus and central nervous system. Mechanisms of signaling pathways, which determine these interactions, are not revealed yet, and their understanding will promote the development of effective therapeutic strategies.

Purification of high-molecular-weight subfraction from porcine skin inhibiting proliferation of A431 human carcinoma epidermoid cells.

Subfraction with a molecular weight >250 kDa isolated from porcine skin and inhibiting the proliferation of A431 human carcinoma epidermoid cells was purified by DEAE 32 anion exchange chromatography with NaCl concentration step-gradient. The effects of the initial subfraction and fractions obtained by separation in DEAE 32 on the proliferation of A431 human carcinoma epidermoid cells were studied in vitro in two tests (MTT and fluorescent test). The more sensitive fluorescent test showed the highest inhibitory activity of fraction No. 2 released from the column at 0.15 M NaCl. One major protein component and a series of minor protein components were detected in this fraction by vertical PAAG-SDS electrophoresis.

[The impact of immunoactive drugs on passive avoidance response].

AIM: The objective of this project was to explore the influence of immunoactive drugs (tactivin, thymulin, and thymosin fraction 5) on the development of the passive avoidance conditioned reflex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two types of passive avoidance boxes were used--a regular two-chamber box and a modified three-chamber box, comprising a dark chamber in which rats were exposed to electrical shock, a safe dark chamber, and a light chamber in the center. RESULTS: The project has established that the memory trace persists longer under the influence of the immunoactive drugs in both models, which is consistent with the reference nootropic piracetam test results. Notably, the immunoactive drugs' mnemotropic effect was more pronounced in the modified three-chamber box than in the standard two-chamber box. Using the modified box helped to establish the influence of tactivin, thymulin, and thymosin fraction 5 on the spatial memory component. Immunotropic preparations from thymus caused the animals to select the safe chamber 24 hours later and in subsequent tests. CONCLUSION: The project's results indicate that the drugs tested do possess mnemotropic properties, so their range of clinical use can be broadened.

Optical properties of Bismuth-doped silica core photonic crystal fiber.

Optical properties of a Bismuth-doped pure silica sol-gel core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) were investigated. We report on the absorption, CW luminescence and time resolved luminescence spectra at different excitation wavelengths at room temperature. Complex structure of the energy levels of Bismuth-connected centers in pure silica glass is put in evidence.

[Immunobiologically active compounds from skin].

This paper describes physiochemical and biological properties of 3 immunologically active compounds extracted by acetone from porcine skin. High pressure gel chromatography confirmed their heterogeneity. RP-HPLC of compound 2 (C2 or K-activin) also characterizes it as a heterogeneous entity. It was shown to inhibit proliferation of cultured fibroblasts from human fetuses and exhibit weak activity in general anaphylactic reaction (anaphylactic shock) and skin anaphylactic reaction. A summary of data on immunologically active compounds are presented with special emphasis laid on acetone-extractable K-activin.

[Effect of tactivin on the behaviour and learning in rats].

The action of the immunocorrective agent tactivin on CNS functional activity was studied in an experiment using outbred white rats. The drug was shown to affect the animals' behaviour in an elevated cross-shaped maze including learning capacity and ability to overcome functional disorders of conditioned active avoidance response. The data obtained suggest anti-stress activity of tactivin.

Effect of tactivin on functional disturbances in avoidance reaction in rats.

Experiments on outbred albino rats showed that tactivin (thymic polypeptide preparation) reduced functional disturbances in active avoidance reaction induced by extra electric current exposure violating the established relationships between the stimuli, reaction, and its result. The preparation provided high level of avoidance reaction after its violation. New effects of immunocorrective agent tactivin were detected. It not only restored the disordered immunological parameters, but also exhibited a pronounced effect on the higher integrative functions of the brain and produced an antistress effect.

New properties of immunotropic preparation from porcine skin.

We studied new immunological and physicochemical properties of K-activin, immunotropic preparation from porcine skin isolated by the acetone method. The preparation restored the sensitivity of background rosette-forming cells in the spleen of thymectomized mice to the inhibitory effect of azathioprine in vivo and practically normalized serum thymic activity reduced in thymectomized mice. The molecular weight of proteins present in K-activin and previously detected by SDS-PAAG electrophoresis was determined by MALDI mass spectrometry

Some pharmacological properties of immunotropic preparation from porcine skin.

We studied pharmacological properties of immunotropic preparation from porcine skin (skin resorption effect and acute and chronic toxicity). It was demonstrated that the preparation did not damage the skin during evaluation of skin-resorption effect; evaluation of acute and chronic toxicity revealed no changes in the general state of experimental animals and histological structure of visceral organs and skin; evaluation of chronic toxicity showed that the preparation induced no changes in blood biochemical parameters compared to the control.

Tactivin in the regulation of dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in thymocytes.

The level of natural apoptosis in rat thymus on day 18 of embryo development attained 25%, while at subsequent terms it was about 5%. In the spleen, this parameter gradually decreased from 15 to 37% starting from day 18 of embryo development to postnatal day 30. Tactivin prevented the development of dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in thymocytes of 30-day-old rats, but had no effect on spontaneous apoptosis. Tactivin can be used as a modulator of apoptotic processes.

Recent Developments in the Field of Tumor-Inhibiting Metal Complexes

25 years after the first approval of cisplatin in the clinic against a number of cancer diseases, cisplatin and related compounds continue to be among the most efficient anticancer drugs used so far. Efforts are focused to develop novel platinum- and non-platinum-based antitumor drugs to improve clinical effectiveness, to reduce general toxicity and to broaden the spectrum of activity. In the field of non-platinum compounds exhibiting anticancer properties, ruthenium complexes are very promising, showing activity on tumors which developed resistance to cisplatin or in which cisplatin is inactive. Furthermore, general toxicity was found to be very low. The first ruthenium compound NAMI-A entered phase I clinical trials in 1999 as an antimetastatic drug, whereas the ruthenium complex KP1019 will enter phase I clinical trials in 2003 as an anticancer drug which is among others very active against colon carcinomas and their metastases. Remarkable progress is also seen in developing tumor inhibiting gallium compounds. One of them, KP46, will also enter phase I clinical trials in 2003. This article reviews briefly the achievements in the field of anticancer metal complexes focusing the discussion onto the impact of the group of Bioinorganic Chemistry at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Vienna. The development of pH sensitive platinum prodrugs, platinum-based drug targeting strategies with low-molecular-weight carriers, kinetically inert platinum(IV) complexes, as well as tumor inhibiting non-platinum anticancer drugs based on ruthenium and gallium is covered in the following sections.

Regulatory effects of Ribotim on functional activity of neutrophils and wound healing during experimental burn trauma.

We studied the effects of ribonucleic immunotropic preparation Ribotim obtained from the thymus on functional activity of peripheral blood neutrophils and wound healing after burn trauma. Immunotherapy normalized immunological parameters, attenuated demarcation inflammation in burn wound, and promoted epithelialization of the wound surface preserving skin structures.