Study of total lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity in pulmonary and mediastinal malignant and benign tumor tissue.

Total lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity were studied in pulmonary and mediastinal malignant and benign neoplasms. In malignant tumors total lipid peroxidation increased and antioxidant activity decreased; the intensity of these shifts depended on histological characteristics and degree of malignancy: the most pronounced changes were observed in thymoma and adenocarcinoma tissues and minimum changes were found in bronchoalveolar carcinoma tissue.

[The study of the antioxidant enzymes in erythrocytes in lung diseases].

The activity of antioxidative enzymes Cu, Zn-superoxidedismutase (SOD) and catalase as well as content of glutathione and activity of its metabolism enzymes--glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GP) were studied in red blood cells of 82 patients: with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD, n = 26), chest osteomyelitis (n = 12), malignant (n = 21) and benign (n = 23) pulmonary lesions. Red blood cells from 26 donors served as a control. Enzymes of glutathione and catalase metabolism in the red cells inhibited their activity in all the above pulmonary diseases vs those of the controls: GR activity in COPD and chest osteomyelitis decreased by 40% and more, lung tumors--by 32-36%.

Activity of glutathione-metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes in malignant and benign tumors of human lungs.

We measured the content of glutathione and activity of glutathione-metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase in samples obtained from 52 patients with malignant lung tumors and 20 patients with benign lung tumors. The content of glutathione and activity of glutathione-metabolizing enzymes underwent similar changes, but these changes were most pronounced in malignant tumors. Antioxidant enzyme activity changed insignificantly in benign tumors, but significantly decreased in malignant tumors (squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma).

In vitro effects of folic acid on gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione reductase activities in malignant lung and thymus tumors.

In vitro effects of folic acid (10(-5), 10(-4), and 10(-3)M) on activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase and glutathione reductase, the enzymes involved in glutathione metabolism, were studied in tissue samples obtained after surgical treatment of the lungs and thymus. Folic acid did not change gamma-glutamyltransferase activity in lung cancer tissue, but in thymoma tissue this substance in a concentration of 10(-3)M inhibited it by 16%. Folic acid had no effects on glutathione reductase activity in benign tumors and normal lung and thymus tissues, but increased this activity in thymoma and lung cancer tissues.

[The use of an antibacterial adhesive agent for the provision of an airtight seal and obliteration of the pleural cavity in spontaneous pneumothorax].

The authors described a procedure for pleurodesis with a new plasma antibacterial glue in the surgical treatment of bullous lung disease complicated with spontaneous pneumothorax. A total of 28 patients were operated on. In 17 cases the glue was used for pleurodesis.