[Synthetic proteins with antiviral properties of alpha-interferons].

Consensus sequence 30-36 LKDRHDF of human alpha-interferons is inserted into the C- and N-terminal sequences of the artificial protein albeferon using genetic engineering methods in order to obtain artificial proteins with antiviral activity. Albeferon, obtained by Dolgikh et al. (Protein Eng.

[Interaction of synthetic decapeptide SLTCLVKGFY with human T lymphocytes].

The synthetic peptide SLTCLVKGFY, corresponding to the 364-373 amino acid sequence of the human IgG heavy chain (Immunorphin), was found to compete with [125I] beta-endorphin for binding by high-affinity receptors on T lymphocytes isolated from the blood of healthy donors (Ki 0.6 nM). The fragments 3-10, 4-10, 5-10, and 6-10 of Immunorphin also inhibited the binding (Ki 2.

[Hormone-like activity of a synthetic decapeptide with the adrenocorticotropin-like sequence of human immunoglobulin G1].

The antiproliferative and immunosuppressive in vitro effects of immunocortin, a synthetic adrenocorticotropin-like (ACTH-like) decapeptide H-Val-Lys-Lys-Pro-Gly-Ser-Ser-Val-Lys-Val-OH, whose sequence corresponds to segment 11-20 of the variable part of the human IgG1 heavy chain, were studied. At concentrations of 10(-11)-10(-7) M, immunocortin was found to inhibit the growth of the human MT-4 T-lymphoblastoid cell line, to suppress the blast transformation of thymocytes, and to decrease the spontaneous mobility of peritoneal macrophages and their bactericidal action toward the virulent strain Salmonella typhimurium 415. By using a 125I-labeled "addressing" fragment of ACTH ¿[125I]ACTH-(13-24)¿, we showed that MT-4 cells express specific receptors for ACTH (Kd 97 pM).

[Effect of L-glutamic acid on the reception of cytokines by HL-60 cells].

L-Glutamic acid at a concentration of 0.1 microM was found to induce differentiation of the cell line of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia into granulocytes or neutrophils. The HL-60 cells have no specific glutamate-binding sites, but L-glutamic acid influences the reception of several cytokines by these cells.