Specific response of the organism and blood leukocytes in rats of different genetic strains to hypoxia.

By the open-field behavior, August rats were more resistant to acute hypoxia than Wistar rats. Hypoxic activation of the immune system was more pronounced in August rats. As differentiated from Wistar rats, the stress-limiting NO system in August rats was not suppressed during hypoxia.

Synthesis of HSP70 in blood leukocytes as a marker of stress resistance during adaptation.

The effect of preadaptation to non-damaging emotional stress on the synthesis of HSP70 (stress-limiting factor) in peripheral blood leukocytes was studied in experiments on August and Wistar rats characterized by different sensitivity of the gastric mucosa to stress-induced injury. It was found that preadaptation improves stress resistance of Wistar rats characterized by lower innate resistance to acute mental stress and activates HSP70 synthesis in blood leukocytes. In August rats characterized by higher resistance to acute stress, adaptation reduced the resistance to stress-induced injuries, which was accompanied by the absence of activation of HSP70 synthesis in leukocytes compared to the level observed in nonadapted rats during acute stress.

Role of heat shock proteins HSP70 and HSP32 in the protective effect of adaptation of cultured HT22 hippocampal cells to oxidative stress.

Preadaptation of cultured HT22 mouse hippocampal neurons to oxidative stress prevented cell damage induced by severe oxidative stress. This protection manifested in a decrease in metabolic disturbances in neurons. Adaptation of neurons to oxidative stress was accompanied by accumulation of HSP32 and HSP70.

Synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSP70) in blood leukocytes as a criterion of the resistance to stress injury.

The resistance of August rats to ulceration of the gastric mucosa induced by acute emotional stress was higher than in Wistar rats. August rats exhibited not only more potent activation of the protective nitric oxide system and mobilization of the immune system, but also increased synthesis of cytoprotective heat shock proteins HSP70 in blood leukocytes under stress conditions. Our results indicate that HSP70 protein synthesis in blood leukocytes during stress reflects organism's resistance to stress and, probably, to other adverse factors.

[The effects of adaptation to hypoxia on the resistance to neurodegenerative disorders in the brain of rats of different genetic strains].

The aim of the study was to compare the protective effects of adaptation to altitude hypoxia (AH) on neurodegenerative brain disorders (NBD) induced with infusion of beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta) into the brain (imitation of Alzheimer's disease) of rats belonging to two species: Wistar rats (WR) and August rats (AR). Previously it was shown by the authors that WR were less resistant to memory function impairment and open-field activities, induced with Abeta infusion compared with AR. This study showed that preliminary AH significantly restricted brain function impairment induced by Abeta in WR, so AH demonstrated the protective effect in WR.