Homocytotropic IgG1 and IgE antibodies and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice of various strains

Experiments on mice of nine strains with different H-2 genotypes showed that a predisposition to anaphylaxis at the stage of formation of IgG₁ and IgE antibodies and sensitivity of the skin to passive anaphylaxis and to histamine are independent characters, interaction between which and with other factors form the overall predisposition to immediate allergy.Allergologic Research Laboratory, N. F. Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. D. Ado.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 318–320, March, 1977.     

Assessment of the gastrointestinal status by cutaneous electrogastrography

The processing of cutaneous electrogastrogram data by spectral analysis showed high-amplitude spectral activity in normal controls and a shorter high-amplitude period in patients with gastroduodenal ulcers and rectal cancer. In normal subjects and patients, the frequency and time analysis showed differences in the electrical reaction of the gastrointestinal tract after meals. These differences may be useful for noninvasive diagnosis. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 11, pp. 597–600, November, 1998     

Inhibition of generalized wound infection in immunized rats

The occurrence of the pyocyanic bacillus in the blood and spleen is compared after intramuscular administration to intact and immunized animals. It is demonstrated that blood clearance is performed by transferring the causative agent to splenic phagocytes. It is suggested that antibodies agglutinize the microorganisms in the primary focus of infection and prevent their entry into the blood. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 5, pp. 545–546, May, 1994 Presented by D. S. Sarkisov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Inhibition of platelet aggregation by monoclonal antibodies against glycoprotein IIb–IIIa complex

Monoclonal antibodies CRC64 are obtained against Ca²⁺-dependent glycoprotein IIb–IIIa complex of the platelet membrane which possess the ability to inhibit completely fibrinogen-dependent platelet aggregation. CRC64 is directed against the epitope formed by the glycoprotein IIb–IIIa complex and does not interact with proteins isolated after platelets are treated with ethylenediamine tetraacetate. Complete, reproducible blockade of platelet aggregation caused by 5 μM adenosine diphosphate is noted in an MCA concentration of 3 μg/ml, while in the case of a stronger inductor, namely 1 U/ml thrombin, platelet aggregation is inhibited in a concentration of 5 μg/ml. F(ab′)₂ fragments are also able to inhibit platelet aggregation completely and are usually effective in concentrations lower than native monoclonal antibodies. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 10, pp. 402–405, October, 1994 Presented by V. N. Smirnov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Inhibition of human cutaneous anaphylaxis by cytochalasin B

The effect of cytochalasin B (which selectively inhibits the function of cytoplasmic contractile microfilaments) on IgE-mediated hypersensitivity in human skin was studied. Cytochalasin B inhibited the antigen-induced histamine release from human skin slices sensitized passively in vitro with human reaginic serum. The magnitude of inhibition of histamine release was related to the duration of preincubation of sensitized skin slices with cytochalasin B. The effect of cytochalasin B on antigen-induced histamine release from sensitized skin was reversible, indicating that the inhibition of histamine release may be due to the inhibition of contraction of cytoplasmic microfilaments in sensitized target cells by cytochalasin B.     

Effect of histidine-containing dipeptides on brain tyrosine hydroxylase

Histidine-containing dipeptides inhibit highly purified tyrosine hydroxylase. The degree of inhibition is dependent on the peptide structure and decreases according to the following sequence: carnosine>anserine>homocarnosine. This effect is not associated with the buffer and antioxidant properties of the dipeptide. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, No. 4, pp. 420–422, April, 1996 Presented by A. D. Ado, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Inhibition of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis by several histamine (H1) and serotonin antagonists in the rat

Drugs of the pizotifen type (pizotifen, cyproheptadine), possessing high H₁-antihistamine and high antiserotonin activities in animal expreiments, exert potent inhibitory actions on the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in the rat. The drug pipethiadene, a 4,9-dihydrothieno(2,3-c)-2-benzothiepin derivative also belongs to this group.Selective histamine H₁-antagonists alone are unable to cause pronounced reduction of the intensity of the PCA reaction in the rat, but in local reactions induced in rats by compound 48/80, histamine H₁-receptors seem to play major role.     

Comparison of the efficacies of cutaneous and subcutaneous administration of tactivin for correction of secondary immunodeficiency in infants and young children

A method for noninvasive administration of immunomodulators, specifically, of tactivin, has been developed. The dosage form for cutaneous applications represents a special film containing the immunocorrector tactivin. Before application the film and underlying skin site are moistened with normal saline, after which the film is held with a plaster on the skin of the forearm flexor surface for 10–12 h. The optimal dose of tactivin for applications is 100μg. Comparative analysis showed that the efficacies of cutaneous and subcutaneous administration of tactivin to infants and young children are comparable according to immunological criteria and clinical results. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimentalnoi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 11, pp. 496–498, November, 1994 Presented by V. K. Lepakhin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Antigenicity of Semisynthetic Penicillin Preparations to Evoke Systemic Anaphylactic Reactions in Animal Models

Four commercially available penicillin preparations (benzylpenicillin, aminobenzylpenicillin, carbenicillin and sulbenicillin) and two kinds of the new semisynthetic penicillin preparations (mezlocillin and piperacillin) evoked systemic anaphylactic reactions in guinea pigs immunized with one of the following penicillin-Ascaris extract (As) conjugates in aluminum hydroxide gel (alum), i.e., benzylpenicilloyl (BPO)-As, aminobenzylpenicilloyl (ABPO)-As, carbenicilloyl (CBPO)-As, sulbenicilloyl (SBPO)-As, mezlocillin-As conjugate (MEZ-As) and piperacillin-As conjugate (PIP-As). The tracheal chains prepared from the tracheas of the guinea pigs immunized with BPO-As, MEZ-As, or PIP-As revealed anaphylactic contractions in vitro on addition of benzylpenicillin, mezlocillin, or piperacillin preparations. These results indicated that the semisynthetic penicillin preparations as well as benzylpenicillin preparation have enough antigenicity to evoke systemic anaphylactic reactions in guinea pigs immunized with penicillin-As conjugate. Such guinea pigs seem to be suitable animals for investigation of penicillin allergy.     

Vital activity of bacteria is directly inhibitedin vitro by antibodies

The level of vital activity ofPseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria was determined according to the rate of pH decline in the culture mediumin vitro. The addition of immune serum to this medium initiated bacterial agglutination and lowered the level of vital activity of the culture. The aggregation of bacteria by centrifugation suppressed their vital activity in the same way as agglutination. Inhibition of microbial vital activity during agglutination and aggregation due to the centrifugal force may be attributed to a showing down of the rate of diffusion of nutrients and metabolites through the aggregates. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 662–664, June, 1995 Presented by D. S. Sarkisov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of thymoptin on passive avoidance reaction conditioning in 18-month-old and castrated rats

The effect of the immunomodulator thymoptin containing thymic peptide hormones on the conditioned passive avoidance reaction is studied in aging and postcastration. The preparation, which inhibits atrophy of the thymus, is found to improve conditioning in aging rats and has no effect on learning or memory in castrated rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o . 8, pp. 167–168, August, 1995 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

State of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal neurosecretory system of rabbits after anaphylactic shock

The neurosecretory system of rabbits was investigated 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after anaphylactic shock. Morphometric methods were used to show that the dimensions of the nucleoli in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus increased gradually by comparison with their size at the time of anaphylactic shock but did not reach the control level. Nucleoli of the cells of the supraoptic nucleus regained their size more slowly than those of the paraventricular nucleus. The content of neurosecretory substance in the system as a whole was not reduced and remained above the control level until the 21st day. The intensity of the formation and secretion of neurohormones in the hypothalamo-hypophyseal neurosecretory system was thus reduced during the 21 days of the postshock period.Kemerovo Medical Institute. I. M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician V. N. Chernigovskii.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 351–354, March, 1976.     

Impaired plasticity of hippocampal synaptic transmission in rats exposed to prenatal hypoxia is normalized by treatment with nootropic dipeptides

Experiments on hippocampal slices from young rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia duringin utero development revealed enhanced responsiveness (an increase in a CA1 field response amplitude) and reduced plasticity (a low incidence of field response long-term potentation following high-frequency stimulation) of CA1 pyramidal neurons. Postnatal treatment of animals with piracetam peptide analogs constructed on the basis of pyroglutamate and proline normalized both these physiological indices. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 12, pp. 592–595, December, 1995 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Inhibition of the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction to Dactylis glomerata pollen allergens by a purified component of this pollen

By isoelectric focusing a protein fraction of pI 4.6 was isolated from a crude water-soluble extract of Dactylis glomerata pollen (SE). This fraction was neither immunogenic nor allergenic in BALB/c mice. In one week, this protein inhibited the mouse IgE-specific antibodies to the soluble extract as measured by PCA in rats and was therefore called Dactylis inhibitory protein (DIP). Two experimental approaches which lowered IgE anti-SE titer were undertaken. Pretreatment with DIP as well as injection of DIP after the last sensitizing injection with SE resulted in an inhibition of the circulating IgE antibody level to SE. For both experiments the regulation of the immune response touched only the IgE class, whereas the titers of anti-SE IgG, IgM, IgA antibodies were not modified. DIP treatment did not alter the IgE titers, measured by PCA, in the immune response to ovalbumin.     

Ampicillin polymers as elicitors of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis.

The ability of ampicillin polymers to elicit passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reactions in guinea pigs was analyzed. Mediating antibodies were raised in rabbits against a crude preparation of 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA). It was found that large ampicillin polymers were potent elicitors, 1,000-fold better than benzylpenicillin polymers. Small polymers in high concentrations did not elicit PCA reactions but inhibited the activity of the larger polymers. This inhibition was more pronounced that that of ampicillin monomer. High molecular weight of ampicillin polymer in the amount of 0.1% in an ampicillin solution manifested its PCA activity. The tendency of ampicillin to polymerize, particularly when kept in solution, makes this observation worth considering. The PCA reactions described were penicilloyl-specific as verified by immunosorbent experiments.