[Diagnostic implications of detecting antibodies to angiotensin-converting enzyme and its substrates]. / Diagnosticheskaia vozmozhnost' opredeleniia antitel k angiotenzinprevrashchaiushchemu fermentu i ego substratam.

The results of the analysis of diagnostic significance of examination of natural antibodies (Nab) to agiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and its substrates in the serum of hypertensive patients indicate that concentration of Nab to ACE differ from this mean concentration in donors. An elevated level of Nab to ACE may be considered as a compensatory reaction to increased content of the enzyme in vascular endothelium and blood flow. The same patients were examined for antibodies to peptide angiotensin II (AT-II). Enzyme immunoassay has shown that a significantly elevated level of antibodies to AT-II was only in 5 examinees. The same patients had also high Nab to ACE. The study of a group of ischemic heart disease patients with adverse effects attributed to bronchial affection treated with enalapril and diroton (ACE inhibitors) demonstrates that deterioration of cough and external respiration function is not related to exacerbation of existing chronic pulmonary inflammation. None of the patients had elevated body temperature or inflammatory changes in the blood, other signs of inflammation. Enzyme immunoassay also proved that the initial level of Nab equaled mean value for donors or was insignificantly lower. Blood serum patients with side effects contained a significantly (p < 0.02) elevated quantities of Nab to bradikinin vs initial values. Thus, the proposed method of solid phase enzyme immunoassay quantifies Nab to ACE and its substrates in the patients.

[Dehydroepiandrosterone and sexual function in men with chronic prostatitis]. / Degidroépiandrosteron i polovaioa funktsiia u muzhchin s khronicheskim prostatitom.

The aim of this study was to determine relationships between the level of DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S), an erectile function and libido in men with chronic prostatitis. 53 patients (mean age 44.6 +/- 12.0; range 21-68 years) with chronic prostatitis were studied. Libido and erection were estimated and patients were divided into two groups according to their sexual dysfunction: 21 patients with severe sexual dysfunction (SSD) and 32 patients with mild sexual dysfunction (MSD). Testosterone, prolactin and DHEA-S were detected by ELISA. SSD patients had a lower testosterone level than patients with MSD (11.8 +/- 4.6 vs 14.8 +/- 5.9 nmol/l, respectively, p = 0.04) and DHEA-S (1.7 +/- 0.8 vs 2.5 +/- 1.2 microg/ml, respectively, p = 0.01). There was a negative correlation between the age of the patients and an erectile function (r = -0.70; p < 0.001), age and libido (r = -0.57; p < 0.001). The negative correlation was revealed between DHEA-S and age (r = -0.59; p < 0.001). A positive correlation was between DHEA-S and an erectile function (r = 0.45, p = 0.001). There was no correlation between DHEA-S and serum testosterone level (r = 0.10; p = 0.5). Multiple regression analysis showed an independent positive correlation between DHEA-S and erectile function in patients with chronic prostatitis (beta = 0.28; p = 0.02; R2 = 0.40). The findings show that erectile dysfunction independently from age is associated with a lower level of serum DHEA-S in patients with chronic prostatitis.

[Immunoenzyme analysis of natural antibodies to endogenous bioregulators in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Immunofermentnyi analiz estestvennykh antitel k éndogennym bioreguliatoram u bol'nykh sistemnoi krasnoi volchankoi.

Serum levels of autoantibodies to endogenous bioregulators (prostaglandin F2 alpha, angiotensin II, epinephrine, bovine serum albumin, dinitrophenol) were measured in patients with systemic and integumental lupus erythematosus and donors and the diagnostic significance of deviations of these levels from the norm was evaluated. A total of 75 patients with lupus erythematosus aged 19-54 years with disease lasting for 0.5 to 18 months were examined. Significant differences between patients and donors were observed as regards virtually all parameters except IgG to angiotensin II.

[Autoantibodies to vasoactive peptides and angiotensin converting enzyme in patients with systemic diseases of the connective tissue]. / Autoantitela k vazoaktivnym peptidam in angiotenzinprevrashchaiushchemu fermentu u bol'nykh s sistemnymi zabolevaniiami soedinitel'noi tkani.

AIM: To estimate the level of natural autoantibodies (NAAb) to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and endogenic mediators affecting vascular tone (bradykinin--BK, angiotensin II--AII, vasopressin--VP) as well as the activity of serum ACE in patients with systemic diseases of the connective tissue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Levels of NAAb were measured by enzyme immunoassay in sera from 30 patients with SLE, 19 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 36 patients with scleroderma systematica (SS). Serum from donors served control. IgM NAAb to ACE were measured by a new technique. Serum ACE activity was determined by the initial velocity of hydrolysis reaction using spectrofluometry. RESULTS: IgM NAAb were detected in the sera of both patients and donors. SS patients had the level of NAAb to ACE in diffuse form significantly higher than in limited (p < 0.05). In SLE and SS patients ACE activity was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in healthy subjects and RA patients. Levels of NAAb to BK was significantly elevated (p < 0.01) in patients with SLE and RA vs donors while to AII in SS patients it was lowered (p < 0.001). Patients with diffuse SS had NAAb to BK higher than patients with SS limited form (p < 0.01). In SLE the lowest levels of NAAb to all the mediators studied were observed in patients with nephritis, for NAAb to VP the differences were significant (p < 0.05). In patients with urinary syndrome concentration of NAAb to BK was significantly higher (p < 0.01), differences between their levels in patients with nephritis and urinary syndrome were also significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed for specification of physiological or pathological role of NAAb to endogenic mediators.

[The regulatory role of natural antibodies and prostaglandin F2 alpha in the course of a myocardial infarct]. / Reguliatornaia rol' estestvennykh antitel i prostaglandinov F2 al'fa v techenii infarkta miokarda.

Concentration of PGF2 alpha were correlated to those of antiprostaglandin antibodies IgM and IgG to this mediator in donors and myocardial infarction patients. In donors correlation between PGF2 alpha concentration and IgG antibody levels is positive. In uneventful myocardial infarction relevant correlation partially recovered at the expense of IgM antibodies. This is not true for complicated myocardial infarction.