[Effect of N-stearoylethanolamine on the DNA fragmentation intensity in tumour and extratumoral tissues of the human adrenal cortex].

The effect of different concentrations of N-stearoylethanolamine (NSE 18:0) on fragmentation of DNA in the tumoural and extratumour tissues of the adrenal glands in vitro was studied. In this work the following types of tissue were investigated: extratumoural tissue from patients with hormonally active tumours, benign tumour tissue (hormonally active and hormonally inactive), tissue of malignant tumours and hyperplasic tissue of the adrenal glands (Itsenko-Cushing disease). It has been established that the NSE increases the intensity of DNA fragmentation only in the tissue of hormonally inactive tumours.

[The effect of potassium different concentrations on mRNA expression of protein StAR and cytochrome p-450(SCC) in human adrenocortical tissue].

The effect of different potassium concentrations on changes in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and cytochrome P-450(SCC) in human adrenal cortex tissue was studied. A rise in K+ concentration in incubation medium to 8.5 mM caused an increase in StAR and cytochrome P-450(SCC) mRNA level in adrenocorticocytes by 70 and 76%, respectively, compared with control.

[Analysis of the expression of RET/PTC oncogenes in post-chernobyl papillary thyroid carcinomas of patients from different age groups].

A comparative analysis of the expression of both, RET/PTC1 and RET/PTC3 oncogenes in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) of patients from different age groups was carried out. Those were the following groups: children (mean age - 13 years, mean latency period - 13 years), young adults (mean age - 24 years, mean latency period - 14 years), adults (mean age - 38 years, mean latency period - 22 years). The presence of RET/PTC oncogenes was detected using polymerase chain reaction.

[The role of protein kinase C in intracellular regulation mechanisms of adrenocortical cell function in norm and in pathology].

The data on the role of protein kinase C enzymes family in regulation of biochemical processes in adrenocortical cells and other types of steroid-producing cells were analyzed. The involvement of these protein kinase reactions in signal transduction of main regulators of adrenocortical function--ACTH, angiotensin II and potassium ions was considered. Data about interactions and transregulation influences between different secondary messenger systems, which mediate intracellular signal transduction of agonists and provide functional activity of adrenocortical cells are discussed.

[The role of phosphoinositides, protein kinase C and protein kinase A in the K+ regulatory signal transduction in human adrenocortical cells].

The messenger mechanisms mediating K+ regulatory signals in human adrenocorticocytes were studied. It was shown that potassium ions initiated decay of polyphosphoinositides to inositolphosphates and obviously diacylglycerol. The latter compounds activate protein kinase C as affected by different agonists.