[Immunological aspects of Parkinson's disease]. / Immunovospalitel'nye aspekty bolezni Parkinsona.

The review summarizes information on immunological disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD). The data on neuroinflammation associated with degeneration of the medial substantia nigra cells are presented. It is pointed out that innate and adaptive immunity cells are involved in the process of neuroinflammation. The authors analyze the cytokine level in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood as well as the relationship between neuroinflammation and neuron dysfunction and provide information on immunological disorders in people with PD and animal models of PD. Specific features of PD models and data on blood-brain barrier damage and evidence of autoimmune inflammation in PD are presented. Identification of PD preclinical markers, including cytokines, HLA-DR and HLA-DQ antigens, autoantibodies, etc, is discussed. Pre-symptomatic diagnosis of PD, prevention and treatment at the pre-symptomatic stage could lead to interruption or slowdown the neurons death.

[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.

Studies of oxidant-induced changes in albumin transport function with a fluorescent probe k-35. Effect of hypochlorite.

The dynamics of changes in albumin transport function during hypochlorite-induced oxidation of isolated albumin in blood plasma and serum was studied with a fluorescent probe K-35. Binding of the probe K-35 to albumin was characterized by effective concentration of albumin. Oxidative modification of proteins was evaluated by the content of carbonyl products of protein oxidation and bityrosine fluorescent products. Oxidation with hypochlorite was accompanied by a decrease in the effective concentration of albumin in albumin, diluted plasma, and serum and accumulation of carbonyl products of protein oxidation and bityrosine fluorescent products. The decrease in the effective concentration of albumin during oxidation with hypochlorite can be explained by oxidative damage to albumin binding sites. Oxidative modification of probe K-35 binding sites with hypochlorite contributes to a decrease in effective concentration of albumin under pathological conditions.

[Relationship between clinical characteristics and primary and secondary products of lipid and protein peroxidation].

Recent studies showed that activation of free oxygen radicals and the resulting stress play a key role in the development of brain vascular lesions related to hypertensive disease and atherosclerosis leading to chronic cerebral ischemia. To recall, activation of oxidative stress precedes chronic cerebral ischemia and stroke. Therefore, detection of stress markers may be a step toward the development of a new method for the identification of groups at high risk of stroke among patients with the unfavourable course of cerebral ischemia. This study was focused on the relationship between lipid and protein peroxidation products and clinical manifestations of the disease.

[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.

[The method for detection of protein oxidability in serum and plasma].

Copper-induced oxidability of proteins was investigated in plasma and serum of blood of healthy donors. Incubation of plasma and serum samples with copper ions was accompanied by accumulation of carbonyl products of oxidized proteins. Quantity of the formed carbonyl products depended on both time of incubation, and dilution of plasma and serum. Under identical conditions of oxidation the accumulation of carbonyl products in serum of blood was higher than in plasma.

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.

Evaluation of the resistance of blood plasma to oxidative stress by oxidizability of proteins and lipids during metal-catalyzed oxidation.

A new approach for the evaluation of oxidizability of proteins and lipids in the same sample of blood plasma was proposed. We tested a method for evaluation of metal-catalyzed oxidation of fibrinogen by the formation of bityrosine cross-links during oxidation detected by the increase in fluorescence at 415 nm. A correlation was revealed between parameters of oxidizability estimated by this marker and carbonyl derivatives (dinitrophenylhydrazine method). Oxidizability of total proteins from whole plasma was compared with oxidizability of plasma lipids (marker malonic dialdehyde). Study of these parameters in patients with coronary heart disease showed that the proposed experimental approach allows us to divide the sample into several subgroups differing in the resistance to oxidative stress. These data can be used for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

[Characteristics of the production of lymphokines regulating the function of the cells of the phagocytic system on exposure to cyclosporin A]. / Osobennosti otsenki produktsii limfokinov, reguliruiushchikh funktsii kletok fagotsitarnoi sistemy pri vozdeistvii tsiklosporina A.

Gel chromatographic studies and the detection of the biological activity have demonstrated that cyclosporin A decreases the level of protein secretion and stimulates the therapeutic effect of lymphokines on wound healing.