[Pheno-and genotyping of a placental detoxication system in ecologically unfavorable regions of Ukraine]. / Feno- i genotipirovanie dezintoksikatsionnoi sistemy platsenty v ékologicheski neblagopriiatnykh raionakh ukrainy.

During 1991-1993 period a study of detoxifying activity of the fetoplacental barrier and genotyping of the major detoxifying enzymes in it (CYP1A1 Ile462Val, GSTP1 Ile104Val, GSTM1 present/absent) was undertaken in different regions of Ukraine that were radioactively contaminated with summary effective equivalent annual expositional doses (SEEAED approximately 1.7 mSv (Group I) and 0.1-0.4 mSv (Group III), chemically polluted Zaporizzhia, monitored for ambient levels of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) (Group II) and Poltava that was judged as "clean" one (Group IV). Glutathione-S-transferase (GSTase) and glutathionereductase (GSSG-Rase) activities of cytosol and concentration of thiobarbituric acid reacting compounds (TBA-reactants) and reduced low-molecular weight thiols (rLMW thiols) were used as phenotype parameters. Cytosolic GSTase activities were nearly two times less in the samples from radioactively contaminated area (Group I, SEEAED approximately 1.7 mSv) and in chemically polluted area (Group II, mean BP level 12.3 ng/m3), compared with the groups III and IV. The highest level of TBA-reactants indicative of lipid peroxidation in response to radiation was observed in Group I, while the lowest level in Group IV. The level of rLMW thiols was 2.5-4 times more in Group II comparative with Groups I, III and IV. The frequency of the genotypes in all the investigated samples corresponds to that reported for Caucasians. For the combined exposure groups, individuals with the CYP1A1 (Ile462Val) genotype (n = 5) had significantly higher levels of GST, GSSG-R and TBA reacting compounds compared to individuals with the Ile462Ile genotype (n = 14 for TBA-reactants and n = 24--for GST and GSSG-R). Despite the challenge of small numbers of individuals, stratification by exposure group for Groups I, II and III indicated significantly higher GST levels in CYP1A1 (Ile462Val) variants from Groups II and III (n = 3) compared to the Ile462Ile variants (n = 17). The data demonstrate contributions by both exposure and genotype on the detoxification of radiation and chemical damage in the human placenta.

[The functional activity of the regulator region of virus SV40 integrated into recombinant plasmids]. / Izuchenie funktsional'noi aktivnosti reguliatornogo raiona virusa SV40 v sostave rekombinantnykh plazmid.

We propose the system for transfection of eucaryotic SV40-based vectors. The method comprises simultaneous transfection of permissive monkey cells with plasmid DNA and the virus SV40. It is likely that the induction of replication of recombinant plasmids by the SV40 T-antigen is an indicator of functional activity of the SV40 regulatory region integrated into recombinant plasmids.

[Protein immunoblot and immunodot in biochemical studies]. / Belkovyi immunoblot i immunodot v biokhimicheskikh issledovaniiakh.

General notions on the protein immunoblot and immunodot are reported. Possibilities of their wide application in biochemical studies are discussed. The employed materials, the most important operations when performing different variants and modifications of these methods as well as resolution and advisability of their application are comprehensively analyzed.

[Genome of defective interfering influenza virus particles: multiple reactivation of "incomplete" virus detectable by counting hemadsorbing cells]. / Genom defektnykh interferiuruiushchikh chastits virusa grippa: mnozhestvennaia reaktivatsiia "neopolnogo" virusa, vyiavliaemaia metodom podscheta gemadsorbiuruiushchikh kletok.

Gel electrophoresis reveals additional segments of low molecular mass in RNA preparations of "incomplete" (produced by passages of undiluted material according to von Magnus) influenza virus which are lacking in RNA of the standard virus. When MDCK cells are inoculated with the "incomplete" virus, synthesis of virus-specific proteins is observed but the pattern of relationships between the intensity of the synthesis and multiplicity of infection is different from that of the standard virus. Quantitative determination of infectivity by counting of haemadsorbing cells demonston the dilution of the "incomplete" virus in contrast to the linear dependence in infection with the standard virus. Neither the virus-specific protein synthesis nor cell conversion into the haemadsorbing state can be due to the admixture of infectious particles in "incomplete" virus preparations and indicate an effect of the type of multiple activation of virus genome expression.