Sequence-specific chemical modification of chromatin DNA with reactive derivatives of oligonucleotides.

Chemical modification of the chromatin DNA with alkylating derivatives of oligothymidylate (pT)16 and oligoadenylate (pA)16 bearing 4-(N-2-chloroethyl-N-methylamino)benzylphosphamide group at the 5'-phosphate has been investigated. It was found that the derivatives do react with DNA in chromatin. The reactions occur presumably at the complementary sequences of the DNA since the reaction of the oligothymidylate derivative is inhibited by oligonucleotide (pT)16 taken in excess and is not influenced by hexadecanucleotide of a random structure.

[A study of the effect of thymotropin on immunologic indicators and excretion of virus in women with chronic cytomegalovirus infection].

Thymotropic hormone was given subcutaneously in a dose of 100 mg twice a week for 3 months to 10 women with verified chronic cytomegalovirus infection. After termination of the treatment, in 8 women the virus excretion was decreased and this was accompanied with some improvement in immunological parameters: increased activity of natural killers, enhanced interferon-producing activity of lymphocytes, higher theophylline-resistant lymphocytes, and lower theophylline-sensitive T-cells. The above results confirm the association between the activity of cytomegalovirus infection and the state of immunity and allow thymotropic hormone to be recommended for treatment of other groups of patients with cytomegalovirus infection.

Simultaneous determination of the level of antibodies to influenza virus surface and internal proteins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been adopted for simultaneous determination of the levels of antibodies to different influenza virus proteins in human sera with known haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) titre. Whole virus of serotypes H1N1 and H3N2, haemagglutinin (HA), matrix (M) and nucleoprotein (NP) proteins have been used as antigens. For detection of antibodies bound to the antigen, peroxidase labelled Staphylococcus protein A conjugate has been used.

[Immunoglobulins in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood in acute neuroinfections].

The authors have examined 42 patients with viral encephalitides and other central nervous system lesions using a complex of clinical and viroimmunological methods of examination. The main emphasis has been laid on measuring immunoglobulins A, M, and G in the blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid. The results have shown marked changes in humoral immunity.

[Action of acyclovir on cytomegalovirus in tissue culture and in chronic infection in women].

Acyclovir was capable to delay for some time the development of the cytopathic effect in cell cultures. When acyclovir was added to the infected tube cultures in a concentration of 250 micrograms/ml, virus reproduction was inhibited for 6 days. Then foci of lesions were observed, and by the 12-13th days the intensity of involvement of the cell layer was 80-90% and did not differ from that in control tubes infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV).

[Virological studies in fatal outcomes in influenza and its complications in adults during the period of influenza A (H3N2) virus circulation from 1969 to 1983].

In the period of circulation of influenza A (H3N2) virus, 1969-1983, we examined virologically the autopsy specimens from 69 adults who died of influenza and its complications. Immunofluorescence examinations of organ impressions and infected cultures as well as virus isolations were used for postmortem laboratory diagnosis. Influenza viruses were isolated postmortem in all age groups, predominantly in older subjects (over 60), both in cases of early and late (after 7 days) deaths.

[Evaluation of dipyridamole efficacy as an agent for preventing acute respiratory viral diseases].

The epidemiological effectiveness of a low molecular interferon inducer, dipyridamole, as a means of prevention of influenza and ARD was studied in a double-blind epidemiological trial in a period of seasonal rise of ARD (Dec., 26, 1984-March 13, 1985). A statistically significant decrease of ARD incidence (1.

[Use of immunoenzyme analysis employing a staphylococcal protein A conjugate with peroxidase in the serodiagnosis of influenza].

A test-system was developed on the basis of solid-phase enzyme-immunoassay using protein A/peroxidase conjugate for the determination of antibody levels to influenza virus in sera of humans who had experienced a natural infection or received a live influenza vaccine. The accurate observation of the test conditions was demonstrated to give the results well correlating with those of the HI test. The use of isolated hemagglutinin as the antigen considerably increased the specificity of the enzyme-immunoassay and in a number of cases detected a 4-fold or higher rise of antibody titres to hemagglutinin in paired sera of the vaccinees where the HI test showed no rise in antibody titres.

[Use of the agar diffusion precipitation method for detecting rotavirus antigen].

The possibility of rotavirus detection in feces of patients with acute enteric diseases by the agar gel diffusion (AGD) test was studied. The effectiveness of this method was compared with that of the standard method, direct electron microscopy. Both methods showed good correlation of the results, but the AGD test is methodically much simpler which recommends it for diagnosis of rotavirus infection.

[Significance of various respiratory viruses in the development of chronic nonspecific bronchopulmonary processes].

Combined virological and bacteriological studies were carried out in 83 patients with chronic bronchopulmonary diseases. Viral antigens, predominantly respiratory syncytial virus antigen, were detected in 72% of the patients in bronchial material obtained by bronchoscopy. Examinations for antibody of IgM and IgG classes specific for different viruses revealed acute infection in 79% of the patients which coincided with exacerbation of the process due to concomitant ARVD.

[Cytomegalovirus infection and immunodeficiency].

The results of detailed clinical, hematological, immunological, and virological investigations of a female patient who within 16 months after hemotransfusion acutely developed a long-term disease with a undulant course accompanied by high fever, lymphadenopathy, hepatolienal syndrome, stomatitis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, are presented. Significant disorders in cell-mediated and humoral immunity were detected. Cytomegalovirus was isolated from the urine and saliva.

[Effect of levamisole on the course of chronic cytomegalovirus infection in women].

The therapeutic effect of orally given levamisole in the treatment of women with chronic cytomegalovirus infection was studied. The patients were examined serologically, cytologically, virologically; the factors of cell-mediated immunity were also studied. Oral therapy with levamisole resulted in a definite increase of the cell-mediated immunity with a trend for decrease in antibody titres and reduced virus excretion.

[Detection and identification of the influenza virus in nasopharyngeal washings by solid-phase radioimmunological analysis].

In the period of epidemic rise of the morbidity level in 1983-1984, 207 specimens of nasopharyngeal washings from patients with influenza were analysed by solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Test sera containing a wide range of antihemagglutinating antibodies to different drift variants of influenza type A and type B viruses were used as diagnostic ones. The results indicate the predominance of influenza B infection (18.

[Virological and immunological research on patients with influenza and acute respiratory diseases with central nervous system involvement].

Virological examinations of the cerebrospinal fluid and nasopharyngeal washings from 96 patients with influenza and other acute respiratory viral diseases and of the autopsy material from 14 patients who had had symptoms of the involvement of the central nervous system permitted isolation of respiratory viruses and detection of viral antigens in the cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue. The level of immunoglobulins in the cerebrospinal fluid was found to be increased, however, their concentration did not exceed that in the blood serum which only indicates the possibility of their penetration through the hematoencephalic barrier. This factor, as well as the pattern of pathomorphological changes in the brain tissues indicate the toxicoallergic genesis of meningoencephalitis in acute respiratory diseases.

[Epidemiological and immunological research on cytomegaly in parturients and newborn infants among the indigenous and immigrant population in the Far North].

In the immigrant population of the Central Yakutiya, cytomegalic cells in the saliva and urine are found much more frequently than in the indigenous population (P less than 0.001). Significant differences were found in the content of complement-fixing antibody to CMV in parturients and newborns in the Extreme North as compared with the European USSR.

[Detection of influenza virus A antigens by radioimmunological methods in patients' nasopharyngeal washings].

9olid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) was used for the detection of influenza A (H3N2,H1N1) and B viruses in nasopharyngeal washings of patients admitted in January-March, 1983, to the 1st Clinical Hospital of Moscow City with acute respiratory diseases. The solid phase consisted of nitrocellulose filters and plastic plates which were coated with nasopharyngeal washings of the patients. Rabbit or horse antiviral immunoglobulins were used as antibodies.

[Detection of influenza virus C antibodies in the gamma globulins and native sera of children].

Influenza C virus has been found to be sufficiently widely prevalent in the human population of the USSR. Our evidence indicates its circulation in different climatic zones of the USSR. It has first been shown that the concept of "original antigenic sin" formulated by T.

[Action of virazole on cytomegalovirus reproduction in tissue culture and in chronic infection in women].

Ribavirin-virazole (I-beta-D-Ribofluranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide) inhibits human cytomegalovirus reproduction in cell cultures, as manifested by a decrease in the number of foci of lesions by 37-45% in virus-infected tubes propagated in the medium containing 100 micrograms/ml virazole as well as by a decrease of virus titre. In contrast to its marked inhibiting effect in tissue culture, virazole exerted no suppressive effect on virus excretion in the saliva and urine in chronic human CMV infection when given orally for 12-24 days in a dose of 9.6 g per course.