Effect of Activated Immunocompetent Cells on the Content of Multipotent Stromal Cells in Splenic Transplants of CBA and CBA/N Mice Administered with Polyvinylpyrrolidone.

One day after intraperitoneal injection of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to recipient CBA and CBA/N mice, the count of multipotent stromal cells (MSC) in the 4-month-old splenic transplants was minimum in CBA/N→CBA/N group in comparison with the transplants of intact recipients (0.6 from the control level), but increased by 2.3, 3.2, and 3.7 times in CBA/N→CBA, CBA→CBA, and CBA→CBA/N groups, respectively. In the blood serum of recipient CBA/N mice with 4-month splenic transplants of CBA donors, the levels of some cytokines (IL-5, TNFα, and IL-2) was significantly increased 1 and 24 h after PVP injection in contrast to mice with bone marrow transplants, which attests to activation of the innate immunity mechanisms in this (splenic) transplantation variant. Probably, this phenomenon can be explained by the fact that the splenic transplants contain a sufficient number of CD+B-1a lymphocytes that can restore the response of recipient CBA/N mice to PVP. Thus, similar to bone marrow transplants [5], MSC count in splenic transplants increased only in groups, where the recipients were capable of responding to PVP. In other words, after injection of PVP to recipient mice, MSC counts in the spleen and bone marrow at this moment are determined by availability of activated immunocompetent cells. Overall, the novel data attest to close relationships between the stromal tissue of hematopoietic and lymphoid organs, on the one hand, and immune system, on the other.

[Modelling of insulin resistance and associated metabolic disorders using dexamethasone].

In experiment carried out on 12 rabbits, the possibility of reproduction of insulin resistance syndrome components in the absence of obesity as initiating factor was assessed. The experimental rabbits were subjected to subcutaneous injections of synthetic glucocorticoid dexametazone during 8 weeks in the dose 15 mkg/kg. The obtained data showed a progressive decline in insulin sensitivity in the course of the experiment, and at the end of the 8-th week the reaction to subcutaneous insulin injection decreased by 82%, the content of glycosilated hemoglobin increased by 200%. These changes were accompanied by increased Tg content in blood by 67%, the contents of total cholesterol and free fatty acids were increased by 109% and 176%, respectively. The C-reactive protein content in blood increased 12,5 times, indicating intensification of systemic inflammation, and the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme increased by 215%. These changes were noted in the absence of body weight shifts indicating on the possibility of insulin resistance development as the result of primary disturbances in intracellular lipid metabolism in the absence of systemic obesity, which promotes the development of insulin resistance but does not trigger it.

[Syphilis as a chronic systemic infection].

During the last STDs'epidemic in Russia (1994 - 2004) over 2.7 min people have been infected with syphilis. At present the structure of syphilis morbidity is characterized by 37% of latent forms, including 1.5% late latency. The increased level of late latency may result from: an ever-growing number of those with asymptomatic syphilis; disorderly and self-dependent usage of antibacterial preparations; spread of the virus chronic infections (herpes, hepatitis B, C) altering the macroorganism immune response; alcohol and drug abuse which decreases the efficacy of specific therapy. In general, chronization of the syphilitic infection may be caused by antigenically inert treponemal cell surface; paucity of outer membrane protein; residence of treponemas within an immunoprotective niche; uncompleted phagocytosis of treponemes with macrophages. Syphilis remains an "infectio magna" and demands thorough attention to all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on every stage of the disease.

Hageman factor and kallikrein in pathogenesis of senile cataracts and the pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

It is thought that dystrophic changes in the human aging anterior eye are due to lipid peroxidation in both the cortical and nuclear structures of the lens under the conditions of ischemia. These changes are often accompanied by only lens opacification (senile cataract-SC) or by formation of amorphous or fibrillar deposits in anterior eye, disturbances of eye hydrodynamics and lens opacification (pseudoexfoliation syndrome-PES). Our results suggest that the main reason of dystrophic changes in the tissues of the aging anterior eye is the disturbance of the haemato-ophthalmic barrier and that the plasma kallikrein-kinin system takes part in this disturbance. Penetration of plasma proteins, such as C-reactive protein, complement components, immunoglobulins and coagulation factors, from plasma into the aqueous humor is responsible for damaging epithelial structures of anterior eye and formation of pseudoexfoliative material. Using ELISA, the C-reactive protein, IgG and IgM antigens have been shown to localize on the surface of the opaque lenses. Presence of these complement binding proteins in the superficial lens structures as well as the high C3a concentration in the aqueous humor substantiates the pathogenic role of complement activation in the lenticular epithelium upon cataract and PES formation.

[Functional activity of the complement system during uncomplicated gestational process]. / Funktsional'naia aktivnost' sistemy komplementa v dinamike neoslozhnennogo gestatsionnogo protsessa.

This study has demonstrated functional activation of complement components C1 to C5 during gestation. The C1 component increased in the first trimester (6-8 weeks). Other components changed with critical phases of fetal development.

[Serological markers of viral infections and various indicators of immunity in patients with hemophilia]. / Serologicheskie markery virusnykh infektsii i nekotorye pokazateli immuniteta u bol'nykh gemofiliei.

The authors have studied the incidence rate for markers of viruses of AIDS (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV) and cytomegalia (CMV), as well as certain parameters of antiinfectious defense in hemophilia patients. A high incidence rate of HBV and CMV markers was established in the investigated patients, and among them no seropositive subjects, by antibodies to HIV, were detected. In the presence of a low incidence rate of chronic HBsAg-carriership in this category of patients, a significant number of immune subjects was observed, that correlated with a relative stability of such immunity parameters as concentration of serum immunoglobulin G and the level of circulating immune complexes.

[Study of the complement system and the inhibitors of plasma proteolytic enzymes in the erythrocytes during blood preservation]. / Izuchenie sostoianiia sistemy komplementa i ingibitorov proteo- liticheskikh fermentov plazmy krovi v éritrotsitnoi masse pri khranenii.

Changes in the activity of the complement system components C1--C5, and proteinase inhibitors: alpha 1-inhibitor, alpha 2-macroglobulin and antithrombin III were studied in red blood cell pack during storage at 4 degrees C, in comparison with erythroconcentrate. A decrease, detected in the level of C1, C3 and alpha 2-macroglobulin, was more pronounced in the erythroconcentrate than in the red blood cell pack. The data obtained have evidenced that the adequate amount of plasma plays an important role in the red blood cell preservation and prevention of accumulation of undesirable physiologically active substances in the transfusion solutions.

[Indicators of nonspecific immunity in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis]. / Pokazateli nespetsificheskoi zashchity u bo'lnykh nasledstvennym gemokhromatozom.

Parameters of nonspecific defence--complement protein function, circulating immune complex level, neutrophil phagocytic activity, completeness of the phagocytic reaction, C3c level, were evaluated in 162 carriers of hemochromatosis gene (114 homozygotes and 48 heterozygotes with respect to hereditary hemochromatosis) aged from 7 to 64 years. The analysis of the results obtained has permitted a conclusion that the suppression of the complement system function, according to the classic or alternative type, is associated with the disease pathogenesis--hyperferremia, and is caused by the damage of the immunocompetent organs and cells synthesizing individual proteins of the complement, as well as by infectious complications leading to hypocomplementemia with respect to separate components.