Dynamics of Expression of Cytokine Genes and Macrophage Content in the Lungs and Kidneys after Subtotal Hepatectomy in Rats.

The role of the lungs and kidneys in liver regeneration after subtotal hepatectomy was studied on a rat model. It was found that production of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the lungs and kidneys and expression of cytokine genes Il1b, Il6, Il10, and tnfa significantly increased. Analysis of the dynamics of lung macrophage population showed that accumulation of HGF and the increase in the expression of cytokine genes in the lungs were accompanied by simultaneous increase in the number of CD68+ cells, which attested to the leading role of macrophages in activation of HGF synthesis in the lungs. Macrophage content in the kidneys after subtotal hepatectomy did not increase.

Photoinduced formation of thiols in human hair.

Raman, scanning electron, and optical microscopy of hair and spectrophotometry of soluble hair proteins are used to study the effect of UV-vis radiation on white hair. The samples of a healthy subject are irradiated using a mercury lamp and compared with non-irradiated (control) hair. The cuticle damage with partial exfoliation is revealed with the aid of SEM and optical microscopy of semifine sections. Gel filtration chromatography shows that the molecular weight of soluble proteins ranges from 5 to 7kDa. Absorption spectroscopy proves an increase in amount of thiols in a heavier fraction of the soluble proteins of irradiated samples under study. Raman data indicate a decrease in the amount of SS and CS bonds in cystines and an increase in the amount of SH bonds due to irradiation. Such changes are more pronounced in peripheral regions of hair. Conformational changes of hair keratins presumably related to the cleavage of disulfide bonds, follow from variations in amide I and low-frequency Raman bands. An increase in the content of thiols in proteins revealed by both photometric data on soluble proteins and Raman microspectroscopy of hair cuts can be used to develop a protocol of the analysis of photoinduced hair modification.