Flavonoids and resveratrol as regulators of Ah-receptor activity: protection from dioxin toxicity.

In 2002 FAO and WHO published a joint appeal to state and public organizations and scientific community to take every effort to control the contents of dioxin and related biphenyls in the environment and food products. The toxic effects of dioxin are realized via its interaction with the Ah-receptor. Here we reviewed modern notions about the structure and functions of Ah-receptor.

[Immunologic monitoring of patients with cystic fibrosis: value of different laboratory findings].

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common, serious, and frequently fatal autosomal recessive genetic disorder associated with the poor function of chloride channels. Chronic endobronchial inflammation and bacterial infection are main causes of morbidity and mortality due to CF. The study dealt with a relationship between progression and inflammation markers.

[Mechanisms of inhibiting production of tumor necrosis factor alpha by the synthetic hexapeptide--immunophane].

The authors examined the human blood mononuclear-induced tumor necrosis factor production using the new drug--the synthetic hexapeptide Immunophan. The levels of tumor necrosis factor in the supernatant liquid were measured by the enzyme immunoassay and the cytotoxic test using L-929 fibroblastoid cells. Following 2-8 hours of short-term incubation of mononuclear cells with Immunophan, there was a reduction in spontaneous or lipopolysaccharide - or ionophore A23187-induced production of tumor necrosis factor.

[Ecological immunodeficiency: immunogenetic aspects of its etiology and correction].

The examinations of auto-transport Kazakh drivers have indicated that there is a significant reduction in some immunological parameters HLA-B5 and HLA-DR5-proliferative responses of lymphocytes to mitogens, production of interleukin-1 and interleukin-2, activity of NK and LAK-cells. It is suggested that these impairments occur with their long-term exposure to automobile transport effluents (ATE), since the same changes in immunological parameters were found previously in the experiments with animals exposed to ATE for a long time. Some of the detected immunoresponsive disorders are associated with the availability of definite HLA antigens, such as HLA-B5 and HLA-P5.

[Genetic aspects of the action of immunosuppressive agents].

The data were obtained formerly that mice of certain strains essentially differ in the sensitivity to the immunodepressive and antiproliferative action of the alkylating agents (so-called opposite strains: DBA/2--highly sensitive, BALB/c--resistant). It is shown in the present work that with the use of the other non-alkylating immunodepressive agents (cytarabine, cyclosporin A, dexamethasone) that differ in the action mode, DBA/2 mice retain a high sensitivity whereas BALB/c mice a low sensitivity to all the immunodepressants. The sensitivity to the immunodepressive action in vivo directly correlates with that of the immunocompetent cells in vitro.

[Identification of myosin light chain 1 from human heart ventricles on two-dimensional electrophoretograms using monoclonal antibodies].

Two-dimensional electrophoresis performed according to O'Farrell was used to isolate the myosin light chain I from human heart ventricles. This chain was further used to obtain hybridomas able to secrete monoclonal antibodies. This method permits to increase the yield of monoclonal antibody-secreting hydridomas and to spare effort with regard to cultivation and testing of experimental samples.

[Analysis of the distribution of class I HLA-antigens in patients with systemic scleroderma with regard to features of the clinical course of the disease and therapy with D-penicillamine].

The distribution of HLA-A, B, C antigens has been studied in 40 patients with systemic scleroderma and in 200 healthy individuals (all Russians). An increased frequency of the antigens B35 and Cw4 has been discovered in patients, as compared with control. When analysing different clinical and common parameters, lung affection in the systemic scleroderma patients was found to be associated with the antigen A10 (58.

[Analysis of distribution of histocompatibility antigens class I and II in children with rheumatoid arthritis].

The authors studied distribution of antigens HLA A, B, C in 115 children and of antigens HLA DR in 102 children of the Russian nationality with classic or diagnosed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). A rise in the frequency of antigens B21, B27 and DR3 was noted as compared to the control values. Then distribution of HLA-antigens was analysed in separate groups of patients depending on the nature of the clinical course of JRA.

[Variability of sensitivity of lymphocytes from healthy donors to antiproliferative effect of dexamethasone and HLA antigens].

A positive correlation between the level of lymphocyte PHA-stimulation and the degree of stimulation inhibition by dexamethasone has been established. Using regression analysis methods, healthy volunteers were divided into three groups: sensitive, intermediate and resistant. The frequency of HLA-B7, B12 and DR2 antigens was increased in the latter group.

[Use of monoclonal antibodies in comparative studies of Ca, Mg-dependent endonuclease in cell nuclei].

Eight hybridoma cell lines derived from fusion between myeloma X-63 and mouse splenocytes were found to secrete monoclonal antibodies against Ca/Mg-dependent endonuclease of human spleen cell nuclei. Two of them, termed N and S, were used in comparative research of enzymes from different organs and species of animals. The data obtained show that N and S antibodies recognize different antigenic determinants of the enzyme molecule.

[Sensitivity of the splenic cells of different mouse strains to the antiproliferative action of alkylating compounds].

A method of quantitative evaluation of lymphocytes' sensitivity to the antiproliferative effect of the alkylating drugs has been developed. Chlorbutin, mafosfamide (Asta Z 7654) and "active" metabolites of cyclophosphamide were studied. This research allowed to distinguish more sensitive strains (DBA/2 and C57BL/6) and those with low sensitivity (BALB/c and CC57BR).

[The HLA system and Coxsackie B viral myocarditis in adults].

The distribution of HLA antigens A, B and C was studied in 152 normal donors, 53 patients with Coxsackie B virus myocarditis, 35 patients with myocarditis of unknown origin, 16 coronary patients and 14 rheumatic patients with high titres of anti-Coxsackie virus antibodies. Coxsackie virus myocarditis was associated with increased occurrence of HLA antigens A3, B40, Cw2 and A28, the increase being significant (with an adjustment to the number of the tested antigens) for A3 in severe and medium myocarditis, and B40 in patients who had developed myocarditis before age 30. Antigen Cw2 was more common in myocarditis patients with high titres of anti-Coxsackie virus B4 antibodies.

[Sensitivity of the splenic immunocompetent cells of mice with different genotypes to the action of alkylating agents].

It has been established in experiments in vitro that splenocytes of DBA/2GSto mice are more sensitive to the immunosuppressant action of the alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide, sarcolysine and thiophosphamide) than splenocytes of BALB/cGLacSto mice. Splenocytes of C3H/SnRap mice exhibit and intermediate type of sensitivity. T-lymphocytes of the spleen of BALB/cGLacSto and DBA/2GSto mice are more sensitive in vitro to the action of active metabolites of cyclophosphamide as compared to B-lymphocytes, with both types of the cells of DBA/2GSto mice being affected to a greater extent than the cells of BALB/cGLacSto mice.

[Mechanism of the suppression of the formation of immunologic memory].

An extract from splenocytes of mice immunized with sheep red blood cells contains suppressor factor (SF) that specifically inhibits the primary immune response. The system of adoptive transfer was studied for the action of the SF on the formation of immunologic memory for sheep and rat blood cells. It was established that the SF carrying a receptor for specific antigen causes nonspecific suppression of the generation of immunologic memory cells.

[Sensitivity of BALB/c and WR strain mice to the immunodepressive action of cyclophosphamide and thiophosphamide].

Experiments were made on BALB/cJ YSto and WR/Y mice to study the immunosuppressant action of cyclophosphamide (CP) and thiophosphamide (thiotepa) in vivo. WR mice were found to be significantly more sensitive to the immunosuppressant action of thiotepa than BALB/c mice and to have similar sensitivity to the action of CP. BALB/c mice appeared highly resistant to the action of both the drugs.

[Variability of the sensitivity of human lymphocytes to the antiproliferative action of alkylating agents].

A study was made of variability of the sensitivity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from different donors to an antiproliferative action of cyclophosphamide and thiophosphamide. A similar degree of the sensitivity was revealed to alkylating agents differing in the action mode, with this degree being independent of the "stimulation index" magnitude.

[Genetic differences in mice in the sensitivity to the immunodepressive action of alkylating agents].

The immunodepressant action of cyclophosphamide, thiophosphamide and sarcolysine was examined in experimental primary immune response in mice of different lines immunized with sheep red blood cells. DBA/2 and C3H/Sn mice were marked by the highest sensitivity to the immunodepressant action of the alkylating agents. BALB/c mice were relatively resistant to the immunodepressant action.

[Changes in the detectability of HLA antigens on lymphocyte subpopulations induced by mitogens and corticosteroids].

A study was made of changes in the detectability of HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DR histocompatibility antigens on subpopulations of immunocompetent cells under the effect of mitogens and corticosteroids. HLA-antigens were identified by the lymphocytotoxic test. It was found that cell cultivation and mitogen stimulation lead to the fact that distinct reaction with the cells is produced by a greater number of HLA-antisera, while the specificity of direct and cross reactions remains unchanged.

[Effect of suppressor cells on the formation of immunologic memory in mice of various strains].

The mice of different lines were immunized twice with low doses (10(6) of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) at a 7-day interval. The immune spleen cells (ISC) from syngeneic and allogeneic mice preliminarily (14 days before) given SRBC (5 . 10(8) were transplanted into the animals at varying times before or after primary antigen administration.

[Immunosuppressant effect of cyclophosphamide activated in vitro by liver microsomes from different strains of mice].

The paper is concerned with activation of cyclophosphamide by mouse liver microsomes in vitro. Liver microsomes from BALB/c mice metabolize cyclophosphamide more effectively as compared with those from DBA/2 mice, which manifested by a more intense output of products having alkylating or immunodepressant properties. This seems likely to be a consequence of the increased P-450 cytochrome content in liver microsomes from BALB/c mice, as well as of its structural characteristics in the mouse.