The Advantages and Challenges of Anticancer Dendritic Cell Vaccines and NK Cells in Adoptive Cell Immunotherapy.

In the last decade, an impressive advance was achieved in adoptive cell therapy (ACT), which has improved therapeutic potential and significant value in promising cancer treatment for patients. The ACT is based on the cell transfer of dendritic cells (DCs) and/or immune effector cells. DCs are often used as vaccine carriers or antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to prime naive T cells ex vivo or in vivo.

Immunotherapeutic Approaches for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) originating from the cells of the colon or rectum has a high mortality rate worldwide. Numerous attempts have been made to raise the overall survival rates of CRC patients. It is well-known that the development of malignant neoplasms is accompanied by suppression of the immune system, which is likely the cause for the failure of standard treatment methods.

Functional Activity of Lymphocytes of Healthy Donors and Cancer Patients After Culturing with IL-2 and IL-15.

The study focused on activation of lymphocytes derived from healthy donors and cancer patients in the medium supplemented with IL-2 and IL-15 at low concentrations. We studied morphological features of cultured cells, their viability, and proliferative and functional activities during culturing for up to 14 days. In comparison with lymphocytes derived from cancer patients, white blood cells derived from healthy donors demonstrated a number of advantages under the given culturing conditions such as higher viability, greater proliferative activity, and the potency for earlier activation; moreover, during activation they secreted the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 at greater concentrations.

Morphofunctional Characteristics of Human Lymphocytes after In Vitro Activation.

We describe a method of activation of lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with cutaneous melanoma and cultured in serum-free medium in the presence of IL-2 and IL-15. Viability, proliferative, cytotoxic, and functional activities of lymphocytes are evaluated. The lymphocytes actively proliferated in this nutrient medium and can be activated in vitro.

[THE TECHNQUE OF FLOW CYTOMETRY IN EVALUATION OF NK-CELLS AND THEIR ACTIVITY].

The review presents main characteristics of human natural killer cells (NK-cells), their phenotype and methods of detection of functional activities using flow cytometry. The NK-cells play important role in inherent and adaptive immunity against infections and tumors. Initially these cells were characterized on the basis of capacity to lyse malignant and infected cells without preliminary sensibilization or immunization.

[Triggering factors and pathogenesis of radiation cataract].

Cataract is one of the most common eye diseases in the world. Many factors, including genetic, metabolic, nutritional, and environmental, are involved in its formation. It is necessary to know main causal agents and cellular mechanism of cataractogenesis.

Formation of an antral follicle-like structure of bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes embedded individually or in groups in collagen gels.

Culture techniques of antral follicle-like structure (AFLS) derived from cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) might provide important insights into follicular development and oocyte maturation. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of embedding bovine COCs individually (one COC) or in groups (4-5 COCs) in collagen gels on the formation of AFLS and the meiotic status of oocytes. The observations of AFLS formation were performed every second day for 14 days.

Clustered carbohydrates as a target for natural killer cells: a model system.

Membrane-associated oligosaccharides are known to take part in interactions between natural killer (NK) cells and their targets and modulate NK cell activity. A model system was therefore developed using synthetic glycoconjugates as tools to modify the carbohydrate pattern on NK target cell surfaces. NK cells were then assessed for function in response to synthetic glycoconjugates, using both cytolysis-associated caspase 6 activation measured by flow cytometry and IFN-gamma production.