[Immunological studies at the N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology (100th anniversary of birth of Prof. T.A. Korosteleva)].

Historical essay devoted to the life and work of Professor Tamara Alexandrovna Korosteleva (1913-1991), the former Head of the Laboratory of Oncoimmunology at the N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St.

[Experimental evaluation of immunotoxicity of olipifat].

The paper presents our data on the influence of Olipifat on the mass and cell patterns of the immune system organs, phagocytic activity of macrophages, number of antibody-producing B-lymphocytes and immune rosette-forming T-lymphocytes. Olipifat showed no immunotoxic characteristics; it stimulated T-system immunity as evidenced by a significant increase in the number of immune rosette-forming T-lymphocytes in mice after injection of 100 or 50 mg/kg.

Chemoprevention of mammary, cervix and nervous system carcinogenesis in animals using cultured Panax ginseng drugs and preliminary clinical trials in patients with precancerous lesions of the esophagus and endometrium.

The anticarcinogenic effects and mechanisms of the biotechnological drugs of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer cultivated in Russia, bioginseng, panaxel and panaxel- 5, were studied.

The synthetic peptide related to the central part of human interleukin-2 molecule accelerates growth and vascularization of sarcoma 180 in mice.

The synthetic peptide C-1-6 related to the central part of human interleukin 2 molecule (sequence 59-72; N- and C-modified) had been shown previously to inhibit cytotoxic activity of macrophages converting them to synthesis of growth factors. In this paper the effect of C-1-6 on growth of sarcoma 180 in mice was studied. C-1-6 significantly accelerated tumor growth having been injected into mice in dose 5 or 50 microg per animal since the 4th day after tumor cells transplantation.

[The MDR gene and cellular sensitivity to various effects].

mdr-Transfected K-562 cells revealed a relatively high resistance to cytotoxic monokines and ionizing radiation as compared to parental cells. Taken together with what is known about the resistance of mdr-expressing cells to multiple cytotoxic drugs, our results point to malignant cells having universal mechanisms of chemo-, bio- and radioresistance.

[Effect of ionizing radiation on functional activity of macrophagesĭ].

It was shown that in vitro irradiation (8 Gy) of murine peritoneal macrophages suppressed their spontaneous cytotoxity and induced growth-stimulating activity. Exposure to 4 Gy induced mRNA proximal factors--TGF-beta and TNF-alpha and boosted growth-stimulating activity. These effects should be considered when evaluating efficacy of radiotherapy for tumors.

[The effect of activated macrophage products on neurite growth in an organotypic culture of chick embryo sensory ganglia].

Murine peritoneal macrophages, activated by BCG vaccine, and human peripheral blood monocytes, activated by lipopolysaccharides, exerted neurite stimulating or neurite inhibiting effects in various periods of activation. The supernatants of these preparations were active in organotypic culture of chick embryo dorsal root ganglia. The inhibition of neurite growth on the 1st day of cultivation was followed by the neurite-stimulating effect.

[The effect of brain peptides on nerve tissue cells in vitro].

The effect of cortexin and epithalamin on the cell growth rate was investigated in the organotypic tissue culture of dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and of cortex and subcortical structures of 10-11-day old chick embryos. Cortexin in concentrations of 20 and 100 ng/ml is active, inducing a more intensive neurite outgrowth in DRG, compared to the control. Epithalamin was active in concentrations 20 and 200 ng/ml.

[Immunomodulating properties of synthetic fragments of human interleukin-2].

For the study of the antigenic structure and function of human interleukin 2, the peptides corresponding to its 60-72 sequence were synthesized by conventional methods of peptide chemistry in solution. To enhance the stability of the synthetic peptides towards the proteolysis and to remove their terminal charges, we acetylated their NH2 groups and esterified with methanol their carboxyls. Some of these peptides were converted from being cytotoxic to possessing strong growth-stimulating activity for the preliminary activated macrophages both in vitro and in vivo.

[Synthesis and expression of transforming growth factor-beta in activated macrophages].

It has been established that once macrophages become activated, they pass through different stages of functional activity. Mouse macrophages activated by BCG "exerted" pronounced cytotoxic effects for 2-5 days to be followed later by growth-stimulating ones. However, in other experiments, the cytotoxic effect was either absent or occurred at later stages which was probably due to a certain functional state of macrophages before activation.

[Changes of Willebrand factor level in blood plasma of cancer patients and its role in hemostatic disturbances].

Plasma concentrations of von Willebrand (WF) factor were measured in patients with different tumors and healthy donors. The study has shown the level of WF in cancer patients to be significantly higher than in healthy donors. Hypercoaggulation was identified by laboratory analysis in breast cancer patients only while patients with other malignant tumors revealed the signs of chronic DIC syndrome.

[Immunoenzyme method of determination of Willebrand's platelet factor].

A method for Willebrandt factor antigen measurement in platelets has been developed based on indirect solid-phase enzyme immunoassay with monoclonal antibodies. The mean platelets Willebrandt factor level in 17 normal subjects was 21.5% (S = +/- 8.

Growth-stimulating phase of macrophage response to activation: the phenomenon and its implications for tumour growth and immunotherapy.

The dynamics of growth-stimulating and cytotoxic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages (PMo) in response to in vivo and in vitro bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or bestatin treatment was studied. It was shown that BCG and bestatin induce cytotoxicity in PMo, and that after the cytotoxic response strong growth-stimulating activity develops. PMo, rendered cytotoxic in vivo and afterwards cultivated in vitro, displayed the same switch from a cytotoxic to a growth-stimulating phase.

Modulation of KB and A431 cell adhesion by epidermal growth inhibitory pentapeptide.

A pentapaptide, pyroGlu-Glu-Asp-Ser-GlyOH (EPP), isolated from mouse epidermis, inhibits mitoses and enhances differentiation in primary cultures and in transformed mouse epidermal cells in vitro (Elgjo et al. 1986 b). The present work demonstrates that EPP also modulates the adhesiveness of two human tumour cell lines (KB and A431) of epidermal origin to uncoated plastic and to plastic coated with fibrinogen or collagen type 1.