[Development and use of a domestic test system for diagnosis of tuberculous infection on the basis of quantitative analysis of interferon-gamma induction in whole blood samples in vitro, by using specific recombinant antigens].

A test system was developed to detect tuberculous infection by qualitative analysis of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the plasma samples after 20-24-hour incubation of whole blood samples in the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) antigens: tuberculin PPD and a mixture of the MBT-specific recombinant antigens ESAT-6 and CFP-10. The analysis used 3 test tubes each containing 1 ml of heparinized venous blood, one of which served as a control; the other two test tubes were employed to measure antigen-induced IFN-gamma production. Whether this test system might be used to determine primary tuberculous infection was studied in 277 children and adolescents.

[In vitro interferon-gamma induction in whole blood samples is a test for tuberculous infection in children and adolescents].

By applying the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induction technique in the whole blood samples exposed to short-term (22-24-hour) incubation in the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens--PPD tuberculin and specific recombinant ESAT-6 lacking in the cells of vaccine BCG and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria, the authors studied the groups of children and adolescents with a negative Mantoux test (n = 31), with postvaccine BCG allergy (n = 40), as well as patients with primary tuberculous infection (n = 84) and those with pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 44). Patients with primary tuberculous infection and a high sensitivity (94%) and a high specificity (97%) may be differentiated from children and adolescents with postvaccinal allergy when the recombinant ESAT-6 antigen and the critical IFN-gamma level (greater than 70 pg/ml) detectable in the plasma samples after incubation with the antigen. It has been also shown that in adolescents with local forms of pulmonary tuberculosis specific IFN-gamma induction may be suppressed in number of cases, which is ascribed to decreased specific immunity.

[Significance of determination of gamma-interferon in the diagnosis of tuberculous exudative pleurisy].

The pleural fluid concentration of gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) was studied in 44 patients with exudative pleurisy. The tuberculous nature of exudative pleurisy was established in 25 patients on the basis of X-ray study, a follow-up, microbiological study of pleural exudate specimens, and morphological studies of biopsy specimens obtained at video-assisted thoracoscopy or surgery. The the pleural exudate concentrations of gamma-IFN were over 300 pg/ml (mean 1019 +/- 161 pg/ml) in 19 out of 21 patients with exudative pleuritis in a phase of active inflammation.

[Circulating complexes of plasma fibronectin (fibronectin-fibrin) in human diseases].

The study of circulating complexes fibronectin-fibrin in 21 patients with immunocomplex affections revealed their high levels which occurred in inverse relationships with fibronectin concentrations in the blood, but in direct correlation with indicators of inflammation (fibrinogen, cialic acid). It is suggested that the complexes are involved in the development of fibrosis at the sites of chronic inflammation in immune disorders.

[Unstable angina: tissue plasminogen activator, tissue plasminogen activator inhibitors, protein C and other factors of the blood fibrinolytic system].

The authors examined the activities of plasminogen activator, its inhibitor, the levels of C protein, antithrombin III, alpha 2-antiplasmin, plasminogen, fibrinogen, fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products in 22 patients with unstable angina by using the vein occlusive test. No significant differences were found in the examined parameters while comparing the group of stable angina patients and healthy subjects. It was concluded that thrombogenesis disturbances in unstable angina were regional and the recording of peripheral blood fibrinolytic parameters failed to detect any changes characteristic of unstable angina.