Activated/Cycling Treg Deficiency and Mitochondrial Alterations in Immunological Non-Responders to Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis, but their dynamics are altered in a subset of people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) known as immunological non-responders (INRs). INRs fail to reconstitute CD4 T-cell counts despite viral suppression. This study aimed to examine Treg dysregulation in INRs, comparing them to immunological responders (IRs) and healthy controls (HCs).

Loss of PII-dependent control of arginine biosynthesis in Dunaliella salina.

In cyanobacteria and most Archaeplastida, Arg regulates its formation via allosteric inhibition of the controlling enzyme, N-acetyl-L-glutamate kinase (NAGK) that requires PII protein to properly sense the feedback inhibitor. Although PII expression has been shown to be reduced in Dunaliella salina compared to other green algae, the potential impact of this protein on DsNAGK activity remains unclear. We here performed coupled enzyme assay and surface plasmon resonance analysis and show that DsNAGK is activated by NAG and inhibited by Arg but is not controlled by DsPII.

LPS-Dephosphorylating Alkaline Phosphatase of PhoA Family Divergent from the Multiple Homologues of spp.

A highly active alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the protein structural family PhoA, from a mussel gut-associated strain of the marine bacterium KMM 296 (CmAP), was found to effectively dephosphorylate lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Therefore, the aim of this work was to perform a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the structure, and to suggest the physiological role of this enzyme in marine bacteria of the genus . A scrutiny of the CmAP-like sequences in 36 available genomes revealed nine homologues intrinsic to the subspecies , whereas PhoA of a distant relative JO1 carried an inactive mutation.

T Lymphocyte Metabolic Features and Techniques to Modulate Them.

T cells demonstrate high degree of complexity and broad range of functions, which distinguish them from other immune cells. Throughout their lifetime, T lymphocytes experience several functional states: quiescence, activation, proliferation, differentiation, performance of effector and regulatory functions, memory formation, and apoptosis. Metabolism supports all functions of T cells, providing lymphocytes with energy, biosynthetic substrates, and signaling molecules.

Effect of PEGylated Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles on the Metabolism of Jurkat Cells.

The effect of graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles of 100-200 nm in size coated with linear (LP-GO) and branched (BP-GO) polyethylene glycol at concentrations of 5 and 25 μg/mL on the metabolism of Jurkat tumor cells was studied. It was found that LP-GO nanoparticles at a concentration of 25 μg/mL can enhance basal glycolysis of Jurkat T-lymphocyte tumor cell line cells, while LP-GO and BP-GO at the same concentration can reduce the indicators of compensatory glycolysis. Despite this, GO nanoparticles coated with linear and branched PEG at a concentration of 5 μg/mL do not have pronounced effects on oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis of Jurkat cells and could therefore be safe for activated T cells.

In HIV-Infected Immunological Non-Responders, Hepatitis C Virus Eradication Contributes to Incomplete Normalization of Systemic Inflammation Indexes, but Does Not Lead to Rapid CD4+ T-Cell Count Recovery.

In HIV-positive individuals taking antiretroviral therapy, coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases systemic inflammation, which interferes with the CD4 T-cells regeneration. This study evaluated the effect of HCV eradication on systemic inflammation and CD4 T-cell regeneration in patients who gave poor response to antiretroviral therapy, the so-called "immunological non-responders" (INRs). HIV-infected patients who received a course of direct-acting antivirals for treating hepatitis C were examined.

N-Acetyl-L-glutamate Kinase of : In Vivo Regulation by PII Protein and Beyond.

N-Acetyl-L-glutamate kinase (NAGK) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the ornithine/arginine biosynthesis pathway in eukaryotic and bacterial oxygenic phototrophs. NAGK is the most highly conserved target of the PII signal transduction protein in Cyanobacteria and Archaeplastida (red algae and Chlorophyta). However, there is still much to be learned about how NAGK is regulated in vivo.

Metabolic Features of Activated Memory CD4 T-Cells Derived from HIV-Infected Immunological Non-responders to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

Immunological non-responders (INR) are HIV-infected subjects that fail to restore CD4 T-cell counts despite undetectable HIV viral load, which is controlled by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). In INR, impaired immune restoration is linked to low-productive proliferation of memory CD4 T-lymphocytes. Taking into account that T-cell ability to divide depends on the activity of metabolic pathways, we aimed to determine rates of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis in memory CD4 T-cells of INR.

Pathogenetic role of vitamin D deficiency in the development of menstrual dysfunction in pubertal girls: a literature review.

In the literature review, 50 scientific sources surrounding the problem of vitamin D deficiency, 80% of which amounted to the issuance of the last 5 years, have been analyzed. Despite the impact of vitamin D deficiency on the health of children and adolescents has been studied for a long time, the information on the role of vitamin D in the formation of menstrual function in pubertal girls is scant and ambiguous. Among the hypotheses of menstrual dysfunction with vitamin D deficiency, neurohumoral regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system is considered to be essential due to the localization of vitamin D receptors (VDR), unlike other vitamins, in the nuclei of various tissues and organs.

[Cardioprotective and lipid-regulating effects of etoxidol with respect to surgical endotoxinemia].

Chronic experiments on stray dogs with modeling peritonitis showed that a complex therapy involving etoxidol favors improvement of the electrophysiological and metabolic heart activity and provides correction of the lipid distress syndrome. It is established that the lipid regulating effect of etoxidol is related not only to a decrease in the intensity of lipid peroxidation (LPO), but also to the A2-phospholipasae activity of this drug.

[Organization dietological help for population in clinics and hospitals institution Saint-Petersburg].

Experience of dietological help for population in Saint-Petersburg has shown in this article. Efficiency of dietological help in clinics and hospitals depends on completeness of investigation of fundamental bases of patient's nutrition.

[Effect of antioxidants on the course of experimental pancreatitis].

The chronic experiments on dogs with a pancreatitis model showed that reamberin involved in a complex therapy is conductive to timely positive clinical and laboratory dynamics of disease, particularly to the correction of lipid-induced distress syndrome, and leads to a significant decreasing in the incidence of pancreonecrosis. The positive effect of vitamin E is manifested to a lower degree. The lipid-controlling effect of antioxidants is realized due to a decrease not only in lipid peroxidation rate, but in the phospholipase A2 activity as well.

[Ecological and hygienic approaches to assessing the risk of nutritional factors to human health].

The paper deals with ecological and hygienic approaches to assessing the risk of nutritional factors to human health.

[The evaluation of the palatine tonsil function in patients with chronic tonsillitis].

The authors review the results of the research performed in patients with chronic tonsillitis in 1997-1999. Immunological activity of their palatine tonsils was evaluated according to the original technique which demonstrated relations between external functional activity of the palatine tonsils and age as well as symptoms of chronic tonsillitis. Additional information is presented on interrelations between lymphocytopoietic production of the palatine tonsils and hormonal status, metabolism, ecological and physical factors.

[Metabolism and the functional activity of the thyroid in patients with chronic tonsillitis and excess body weight].

Clinical and laboratory tests were conducted in 138 females of reproductive age with chronic decompensated tonsillitis (CDT) with normal and excessive body mass. Improper diet of the obese patients was responsible for specific manifestations of CDT, disturbances of lipid, carbohydrate and mineral metabolism, thyroid function.

[Bio-antioxidant activity of 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrocatechol and its influence on hypoxia, inflammation, pain and burns].

The bioantioxidant activity of the synthesized by us on the base of the diatomic phenol compound--3,5-di-t-butylpyrocatechol--has been studied. It was shown that this substance exhibits more pronounced antioxidant properties than tocopherol on the lipid peroxidation process in the rat brain homogenate appears in concentrations right up to 10(-8)-10(-7) M. Antioxidant effect of 3,5-di-t-butylpyrocatechol protecting action correlation has been found in the simulation of such pathological organism states as hypoxia, inflammation, burn, pain.

[Dirithromycin, a new antibiotic in the treatment of pharyngeal inflammation].

The trial of a new antibiotic dirithromycin against acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis for safety and efficacy included 28 patients with acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis. Microbiological, biochemical, clinical and laboratory tests were conducted throughout the treatment and 2-3 weeks after the end of dirithromycin administration. The results support dirithromycin clinical potential in acute, chronic pharyngeal inflammation due to its high selective activity in relation to beta-hemolytic streptococcus A and the absence of side effects.

[Suppression of transcription of influenza virus RNA by oligonucleotide derivatives].

The inhibitory effects of oligonucleotide derivatives on the transcription of virus RNA in an in vitro system and synthesis of virus proteins was studied. Oligonucleotide derivatives d(T)3, d(T)4, d(T)8, d(T)10, d(CCAAACA), d(TCACCCTC), d(TTCCCATT), d(AATACTCT) and d(TGACCCTCTTCCCATT), that bear residues of ethidium, deuteroporphyrin and its complexes with Fe3+, hemin, cholesterol, deuterocholesterol, estrone and naphthoquinone at the 5'-end phosphate and/or at the 3'-end phosphate were studied. Unmodified oligonucleotides and their derivatives had a negligible effect on the synthesis of cellular proteins, but did inhibit the synthesis of influenza virus proteins.