[Gene Polymorphism of the c-fms, ITGB3,CCR2, and DBH genes in the populations of old believers of the Tyumen oblast and Russian residents of Novosibirsk].

Old Believers of the Tyumen oblast have been studied compared with a control sample of Russian residents of the city of Novosibirsk. The former are a unique subpopulation, which has been relatively isolated from the rest of Russians in central and northern regions of Russia due to religious reasons since the middle of the 17th century. Polymorphisms in the genes for glycoprotein ITGB3, dopamine-ß-hydroxylase (DBH), and chemokine receptor CCR2 and two mutations in the c-fms gene have been analyzed. The populations are only similar in the c-fms indel. The frequencies of the rare alleles of CCR2, ITGB3, and 3'UTR of c-fms in the Old Believers are lower than in the sample of Novosibirsk Russians, and the rare allele of DBH is more frequent. A significant negative correlation is observed between DBH and CCR2 (r =-0.88; df = 4; P < 0.023). Apparently, these differences are related to the long-term isolation of Old Believers. This assumption is consistent with the fact that the levels of heterozygosity for most loci in Old Believers are lower than in Novosibirsk Russians.

[Hypnosis for rehabilitation of immunological status in neoplasia].

The study group included 21 patients with malignant melanoma stage II-IV, aged 25-67, and 25 patients, aged 28-68, (control) with stomach tumors stage I-IV. All patients received individually-tailored hypnosis. Our newly-developed methods used batteries of suggestive images to deal with non-psychotic disorders and to map out strategies to support immunocompromised patients. In group 1, suggestion stimulated the "devouring" effect of the "patroling" cells. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of immunocompetent cells of peripheral blood were assessed by flow cytometry, immuno-enzymatic analysis and other procedures to evaluate immunological status. Correlation analysis of data on group 1 identified 7 negative coefficients (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) exactly in the monocytic macrophageal link thus suggesting the modulating effect of hypnosis. Our results support evidence available on the potential of hypnosis for cancer patient immunity and point for the first time to feasibility of differentiated targeting specific links of the immune system.

[Immunological indices in gastric cancer].

Immunological indices were assayed in 167 patients with gastric cancer. Tumor growth involved reduction in levels of neutrophil peroxide (p<0.05), CD3+ and CD19+-cells (p<0.05) as well as intensification of apoptosis of lymphocytes (p<0.05). As monocytic and granulocytic phagocytosis (p<0.001) and HLA-DR-expression in monocytes (p<0.001) diminished, and mitogen-induced proliferative activity of mononuclear cells suppressed (p<0.05), total and relative levels of CD8+-cells (p<0.05) and spontaneous proliferative activity of mononuclear cells (p<0.05) in peripheral blood increased. Such changes should not be reganded as expression of immunosuppression alone. Mechanisms of immunological failure inherent in tumor growth need to be investigated further.

[Immunogenetic prognosis and long-term results of surgery for gastric cancer].

A link between HLA allelic variants and long-term results of surgery for gastric tumors was established on the basis of a 10-years follow-up of 112 cancer patients (stage I-II--37.9, III-IV--62.1%; radical surgery--44.6%). HLA class I was studied in a lymphocytotoxic test; HLA class II--gene DRBI specificity using polymerase chain reaction of peripheral blood cell DNA. The control group included healthy subjects living in the city of Novosibirsk (n = 341). High frequency of antigens HLA-B41, -DR1, -DR7 (p < 0.01) co-occurred with HLA-A2, -B12, -B13 and -B18 presence (p < 0.05) in breast cancer patients. Clinical manifestations of cancer were shown to develop in HLA-A1, -B8, -B15, -DR3 and -DR5 carriers at early stages. Tumor development at later stages (III-IV) was associated with HLA-A2, -B12, -B17, -B35, -B41 and -DR7. A link was registered between lethality rate, on the one hand, and HLA-A3, -B22, and, in particular, DR4, on the other, while remission of more than 7-years--with HLA-A11, -B13, -B21 and -DR5. HLA-B22/DR3 phenotype involved worse prognosis in radically-treated patients whereas that of HLA-B8/DR3--a better one.