Analysis of the brain transcriptome, microbiome and metabolome in ketogenic diet and experimental stroke.

The ketogenic diet (KD) has been shown to be effective in treating various brain pathologies. In this study, we conducted detailed transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling of rat brains after KD and ischemic stroke in order to investigate the effects of KD and its underlying mechanisms. We evaluated the effect of a two-month KD on gene expression in intact brain tissue and after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

New Adamantane-Containing Edaravone Conjugates as Potential Neuroprotective Agents for ALS Treatments.

Currently, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Only two drugs-edaravone and riluzole-have been approved, but they have very limited efficacy. The aim of this work was to modify the structural core of the Edaravone-phenylpyrazolone moiety and combine it with aminoadamantane pharmacophore in order to expand the spectrum of its action to a number of processes involved in the pathogenesis of ALS.

Macrophage polarization in hypoxia and ischemia/reperfusion: Insights into the role of energetic metabolism.

Macrophages, the key cells of innate immunity, possess wide phenotypical and functional heterogeneity. studies showed that microenvironment signals could induce the so-called polarization of macrophages into two phenotypes: classically activated macrophages (M1) or alternatively activated macrophages (M2). Functionally, they are considered as proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory/pro-regenerative, respectively.

Cooperative Synthesis of Dopamine in Rat Mediobasal Hypothalamus as a Compensatory Mechanism in Hyperprolactinemia.

Dopamine (DA), synthesized in the mediobasal hypothalamus by dopaminergic neurons containing two enzymes of DA synthesis - tyrosine hydroxylase and decarboxylase of aromatic L-amino acids, or by monoenzymatic non-dopaminergic neurons containing one DA synthesis enzyme in cooperation, is known to have an inhibitory effect on prolactin secretion. Deterioration of this inhibitory control leads to an increase in prolactin concentration in the blood and to the development of hyperprolactinemia syndrome. In a rat model of hyperprolactinemia induced by administration of a neurotoxin causing degeneration of dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons, the level of DA first decreases, leading to an increase in prolactin level (decompensation stage), while later both levels are restored to normal (compensation stage).

[The role of "quorum sensing" regulation system in symbiotic interaction of bacteria Burkholderia cepacia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa during mixed infection].

Data concerning mechanisms of strengthening virulence of bacteria B.cepacia and P.aeruginosa during experimental mixed-infection are submitted.

[Ligase chain reaction. Theory, practical use, prospects].

The authors present a review of papers on research into ligase chain reaction and its application in microbiology published in scientific periodicals by the end of 2003. The paper covers the theoretical ground of ligase chain reaction methodology, describes typical experimental procedures and gives examples of application of ligase chain reaction in modern diagnostic practice to detect infections, genetic diseases and for gene identification.

Conjugates of oligonucleotides with polyaromatic fluorophores as promising DNA probes.

Conjugates of pyrene and perylene with oligodeoxynucleotides were synthesized and tested as hybridisation probes. A 13-mer containing a 3-peryleneacetic acid residue attached to the 5' end through a hexamethylenediamine linker showed no response in the fluorescent spectrum upon hybridisation to the complementary sequence. At the same time, pyrene-labelled probes are sensitive to duplex formation.

[Novel reagent for labeling of biomolecules--activated derivative of pyrene dichromophore with excimeric fluorescence].

N-[2-(1-pyrenyl)ethyl]-1-pyrenylacetamide, bis[2-(1-pyrenyl)ethyl]amine, and N,N-bis[2-(1-pyrenyl)ethyl]succinamide were synthesized from 1-pyrenylacetic acid. These compounds contain adjacent pyrene residues and display excimer fluorescence. The latter compound, as a pentafluorophenyl ester, was used to prepare fluorescently labeled oligodeoxyribonucleotide (5)CAGGAAACAGCTATGAC.