[Oxidative modification of blood proteins in patients with psychiatric disorders (depression, depersonalization)]. / Okislitel'naia modifikatsiia belkov plazmy krovi bol'nykh psikhicheskimi rasstroistvami (depressiia, depersonalizatsiia).

We determined the oxidative modification of proteins (spontaneous and metal-catalysing oxidation, MKO) and the level of corticosteroids in patients with the depersonalization and depression. For detecting oxidative modification of plasma proteins we measured the concentration of protein carbonyl groups formed with 2,4dinitrophenylhydrazine 2,4dinitrophenylhydrazone derivatives; the formation of dityrosine by fluorescence method; protein aggregation and fragmentation. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE in the presence beta-mercaptoethanol was used to determine the aggregation or fragmentation of proteins by oxygen radicals (OH). Acid-soluble peptides were analised as products of the fragmentation oxidative modification proteins. The level of the corticosteroids was determined using HPLS. The increase of the concentration of protein carbonyl groups in blood plasma of patients with mental disorders. In patients with depersonalization we determined the increase of the bityrosyl cross-link, and different degrees of fragmentation compared with depressive patients. The cortisol level was decreased and corticosterone was increased in the blood plasma of patients with depersonalization. In depressive patients the cortisol level was increased and corticosterone was decreased is discussed. We discussed the role oxidative modification proteins in the disturbance of the corticosteroid and opioid receptors functions in the patients with mental disorders.

Reversible metabolic depression in hepatocytes of lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) during pre-spawning: regulation by substrate availability.

The regulation of oxidative metabolism in hepatocytes of lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) during the freshwater pre-spawning period of their life cycle was studied. The energy metabolism in these cells is characterized by a simplified scheme, where glycolytic ATP production is insignificant and fatty acids are the major respiratory substrates. Seasonal changes in aerobic cell metabolism include a considerable reversible depression of metabolic rate in lamprey hepatocytes during the winter months of the pre-spawning period. The depression is characterized by a more than twofold decrease in hepatocyte endogenous respiration rate, a reduction of oxidative phosphorylation and drop in cellular ATP content. The addition of fatty acids to the hepatocyte incubation medium prevents the decrease in the metabolic rate. In spring, before spawning, a marked activation of energy metabolism in lamprey hepatocytes is found. These observations support the conclusion that the regulation of lamprey hepatocyte energy metabolism is realized through the availability of fatty acids for oxidation.

[High performance liquid chromatography of corticosteroids in patients with depression and depersonalization]. / Vysokoéffektivnaia zhidkostnaia khromatografiia kortikosteroidov u bol'nykh s depressiei i depersonalizatsiei.

Six corticosteroids were measured by high performance microcolumn reverse-phase liquid chromatography in patients with the depressive syndrome and depersonalization. Changes in the blood concentrations of hydrocortisone, cortisone, and corticosterone were revealed. The method is recommended as an additional tool for the differential diagnosis of depressions and depersonalization.