Comparison of Antioxidants in the Ability to Prevent Cataract in Prematurely Aging OXYS Rats

The biological model of prematurely aging OXYS rats is proposed for evaluation of anticataract activity of preparations. Pathological changes in the lens develop in 2-month-old OXYS rats. By the 6th month of life cataract morbidity rate attains 100%. Adrusen Zinco, Mirtilene Forte, blueberry extract, and vitamin E (Russian and from Sigma) possessing antioxidant properties and given with food decreased the number of OXYS rats with cataract. The preparation from blueberry Mirtilene Forte and blueberry extract normalized the content of lipid peroxidation products in the blood. Blueberry extract manufactured in Russia decreased the index of lipid atherogenicity that was high in OXYS rats.     

Dye sorption as an indicator of erythrocyte membrane damage and prehemolytic state of erythrocytes

High erythrocyte membrane permeability caused by detergents was associated with increased methylene blue sorption, which correlated with erythrocyte damage and preceded hemolysis. The content of sorbed dye in erythrocytes preincubated with 200 μM sodium dodecyl sulfate or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide increased by 58–74% and 2.4–3.8-fold surpassed that in the medium. New precise and convenient method for estimating erythrocyte binding capacity is proposed. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 3, pp. 358–360, March, 2000     

Effects of sex hormones and antihormones on the activity of redox system enzymes of human erythrocyte glutathione

Effects of estradiol and testosterone and of the antiandrogens cyproterone acetate, niftolide, and antiestrogen tamoxifen on the activities of human erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were studiedin vitro. In contrast to hormone preperations, antihormones in high concentrations (10⁻⁴−5×10⁻⁴ M) modified the enzyme activities. Cyproterone acetate and tamoxifen increased the activity of glutathione reductase, while tamoxifen stimulated glutathione reductase and inhibited glutathione peroxidase. Niftolide inhibited both enzymes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 8, pp. 185–187, August, 1997     

Effect of antibodies to red cell superoxide dismutase on its activity in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

A relationship is revealed between the level of antibodies to superoxide dismutase and the activity, course, and form of a disease. The production of antibodies to red cell superoxide dismutase increases as the pathological process progresses. By reducing the resistance of erythrocyte membranes to reactive oxygen species, antibodies to red cell superoxide dismutase promote the development of anemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results indicate that inhibition of the active center of this enzyme by specific immunoglobulins is one of the causes of reduced activity of red cell superoxide dismutase or the lack of an appreciable increase in its activity during hyperproduction of reactive oxygen species. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 10, pp. 391–393, October, 1995 Presented by A. B. Zborovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Erythrocyte membranes in patients with malignant tumors as shown by fluorescent probing

Erythrocyte membranes were examined by fluorescent probing in untreated patients with tumors of different localization (lung cancer, head and neck tumors, stomach and colorectal cancer). Tumor growth was associated with pronounced disorders in erythrocyte membranes: increased viscosity of the lipid bilayer, including protein-lipid contacts, and modification membrane surface layers. The degree of changes in the studied parameters depended on the tumor location. Translated fromByullenten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 8, pp. 226–229, August, 1999     

Membrane-stabilizing effect of δ-sleep-inducing peptide in stress

Exposure of rats to cold stress leads to the accumulation of conjugated dienes and Schiff's bases and decreases superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Plasma levels of extraerythrocytic hemoglobin and iron and the total peroxidase activity increase. This indicates destablization of the erythrocyte plasma membrane in stress. Exogenous δ-sleep-inducing peptide decreases the intensity of lipid peroxidation by increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes and stabilizes the structure of the erythrocyte plasma membrane. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 9, pp. 325–327, September, 1998     

Effect of δ-sleep-inducing peptide on rat erythrocyte membrane structure in cold stress

δ-Sleep-inducing peptide (1 μg/ml) added to erythrocyte suspension from intact rats enhanced quenching of membrane tryptophanyl fluorescence with pyrene and increased the microviscosity of zones of protein-lipid contacts. Microviscosity and polarity of membrane lipid phase remained unchanged. Exogenous δ-sleep-inducing peptide increased the negative surface charge of the erythrocyte membrane. During cold stress, the efficiency of tryptophane fluorescence quenching with pyrene decreased and microviscosity of protein-lipid contacts decreased, while microviscosity of lipid layer of the erythrocyte membranes did not change; polarity of deep membrane layers and negative surface charge increased. δ-Sleep-inducing peptide normalized the efficiency tryptophane fluorescence quenching with pyrene and membrane microviscosity, polarity, and surface charge. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 9, pp. 317–320, September, 1999     

Time course of the cytotoxicity of blood mononuclears in patients with bladder cancer during endolymphatic immunotherapy with lymphokine-activated killers and recombinant interleukin-2

A specific stimulation of mononuclear cellsin vivo was observed after 3 or 4 endolymphatic injections of autologous lymphokine-activated killers and recombinant interleukin-2 in male patients with disseminated bladder cancer. This activation presented as an increase of the cytotoxicity of mononuclears towards target cells of bladder carcinoma. A statistically reliable increase of natural killer activity was observed, and in one patient a reliable increase of the cytolytic activity of mononuclear cells against Mel-1 target cells. After 1 or 2 injections the activity of natural killers increased to 80–90% for an initial level of 23–50%. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 2, pp. 188–191, February, 1996 Presented by N. N. Trapeznikov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Structural changes in the erythrocyte plasma membrane in dehydration

Changes in the lipid bilayer and glycocalyx of the erythrocyte plasma membrane are studied by the method of spin labels in dehydrated rats. No appreciable chantes are found in the membrane of erythrocytes from rats deprived of water for 3 days. Changes occur in the glycocalyx after a 6-day dehydration, while a 12-day dehydration induces irreversible changes in the plasma membrane lipids and the erythrocyte surface areas. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 10, pp. 402–404, October, 1996     

Sex-related differences in the degree of lipid peroxidation activation and resistance to cardiovascular damage induced by stress in rats

It is shown that during stress a rapid twofold increase of erythrocyte acid resistance in rats of both sexes was followed by a 1.5-fold decrease toward the 60th min in males and the 120th min in females. In males, in contrast to females, the level of malonic dialdehyde was raised not only during stress, but also 1 and 24 hours after its completion. Stress-induced dystrophic changes of cardiomyocytes were more marked in males. The area of myocardial damage in females was almost twice as small as in males. It is assumed that the better resistance of females to stress-induced cardiovascular damage may be due to increased efficacy of antioxidant mechanisms inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, No 4, pp. 354–357, April, 1995 Presented by K. V. Sudakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Lipid spectrum of erythrocyte membranes in cancer patients

In patients with untreated tumors (lung cancer, head and neck tumors, stomach and colon cancer), erythrocyte membranes are characterized by a decreased content of total lipids together with increased percentage of cholesterol and lysophosphatidylcholine in comparison with healthy individuals. The observed shifts depend on tumor location. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 8, pp. 204–206, August, 1998     

Ca-dependent ATPase activity and lipid peroxidation in the microsome fraction of renal medulla after thermal ischemia with and without α-tocopherol protection

Thermal ischemia of rat kidneys for 30 min induces lipid peroxidation with simultaneous activation of Ca-dependent ATPase in microsomes. In the presence of the channel-forming antibiotic alamethicin this activity decreases, indicating an increased passive permeability of the membrane vesicles for Ca²⁺ and ATP with a decrease in the true activity of the enzyme after ischemia. α-Tocopherol reduces the intensity of lipid peroxidation in the microsome fraction isolated from kidneys after thermal ischemia and protects ATPase activity in the presence and absence of alamethicin in the incubation medium. It is suggested that peroxidation of membrane phospholipids activated by thermal ischemia is one of the causes of decreased true activity of Ca-dependent ATPase and increased passive permeability of the kidney membranes for Ca²⁺ and ATP. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 9, pp. 289–291, September, 1997     

Role of protein components of proteoglycans in steric exclusion of cells

Polymers differing in the content of their protein components have been obtained from hyaluronic acid (HUA), naturally occurring protein-chondroitin-keratan sulfate (PCKS) complexes, and proteoglycan aggregates (PA). Using suspensions of rabbit erythrocytes in salt solution as an experimental model of isolated cells, it is shown that the activity of proteoglycans as factors of steric erythrocyte exclusion to a separate phase depends on the percentage content of protein components in the polymers. The ability of HUA- and PA-derived polymers to effect steric exclusion increases with an increase in the content of their protein component. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 6, pp. 596–599, June, 1994 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Dependence of the proliferation of hemopoietic adrenergic precursors under the influence of cytostatics

After administration of 5-fluorouracil in a high dose (114 mg/kg), the proliferation of committed precursors of erythro- and granulomonocytopoiesis is controlled by sympatheticoadrenal system. On the one hand, catecholamines facilitate, predominantly via β-structures, the migration of Thy-1⁺-cells that stimulate hemopoietic precursors for the S-phase of cell cycle. On the other hand, sympatheticoadrenal transmitters potentiate via β- and α-adrenoreceptors the suppressor activity of the cytostatic on the growth and maturation of erythropoietic and, to a lesser extent, granulocytopoietic precursors. These factors may contribute to the process of long restoration of the granulocyte and, to a higher extent, erythrocyte stem cells in the bone marrow after a high dose of 5-fluorouracil. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 6, pp. 638–641, June, 1997     

Phlogogenic and hemopoiesis-stimulating activities of liver and lung macrophages upon liver regeneration

The phagocytizing and colony-stimulating activities of liver macrophages are increased 36 h after partial hepatectomy. Although the blood count of phagocytizing cells is increased, the rate of the formation of zymosan-induced granulomas in the liver and lungs is decreased. Administration of zymosan after partial hepatectomy inhibits granulomonocytopoiesis in the bone marrow and reduces colony-stimulating activity of Kupffer cells and phagocytizing activity of liver and lung macrophages. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 11, pp. 494–498, November, 1996     

Effect of naftidrofuryl on lipid peroxidation in serum and erythrocyte plasma membrane of patients with diabetes mellitus

Effect of naftidrofuryl, a blocker of serotonin 5S₂-receptors (Dusodril-retard), on the malonic dialdehyde content in the serum and erythrocyte membranes is studied in diabetics with and without angiopathies. A 40-day treatment with Dusodril-retard normalizes the serum content of malonic dialdehyde, an intermediate product of lipid peroxidation, and has no effect on the malonic dialdehyde content of the erythrocyte plasma membrane. A negative correlation is established between blood levels of total cholesterol, β lipoproteins, and malonic dialdehyde levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 9, pp. 338–341, September, 1996     

Dynamics of correlation between erythrocyte electrophoretic mobility and volume in stress

At rest, rat erythrocyte electrophoretic mobility varied independently on cell volume. Emotional and physical stress gave rise to a short-lived moderate negative correlation between erythrocyte volume and the coefficient of asymmetry of electrophoretic mobility distribution, probably originating from accompanying metabolic and systemic influences. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 11, pp. 504–506, November, 1999     

Structural transitions in erythrocyte membranes in hereditary hemochromatosis

Changes in the thermal transition parameters of the backbone proteins of the erythrocyte plasma membrane, particularly of spectrin and membrane domain of band3 protein, in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis are demonstrated by differential scanning microcalorimetry. Electron microscopy (the freeze-fracture technique) reveals aggregation of intramembrane particles and their enlargement in erythrocyte membranes from patients in comparison with membranes from healthy donors. These structural changes in the erythrocyte membranes are assumed to contribute to hemolysis and iron overload of the organism. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 3, pp. 279–284, March, 1997     

Ca2+-induced erythrocyte hyperpolarization in patients with tumors of different localization

In patients with lung cancer and malignant tumors of the head and neck, erythrocyte hyperpolarization associated with the opening of Ca²⁺-activated potassium channels develops with lower rate and amplitude compared with that in healthy donors. Restoration of normal membrane potential is Ca²⁺-ATPase-dependent. The rate of restoration is significantly higher in patients with tumors. Two groups with different hyperpolarization response and their dynamics during chemotherapy were identified in patients with lung cancer. Ca²⁺-induced erythrocyte hyperpolarization and its dynamics during cytostatic therapy depend on tumor localization and histological type. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 1, pp. 77–80, January 1999     

In vivo cytogenetic effects of acrylamide, acrylonitryl, and their combination with verapamil

Acrylamide significantly increased the number of cells with chromosome aberrations in BALB/c and C57B1/6, but not in CBA mice. No difference was found between the BALB/c and C57B1/6 strains in the clastogenic effect of acrylamide. Within the studied concentration range acrylonitrile exerted no genotoxic effects. Verapamil significantly potentiated the clastogenic effect of acrylamide in BALB/c mice, while in C57B1/6 mice potentiation was observed only after the repeated intragastric administration of verapamil in a dose of 2.5 mg/kg. Acrylonitrile in combination with verapamil also produced a slight clastogenic effect after single and repeated administrations. Thein vivo comutagenic activity of verapamil depended on the dose, administration route and schedule, and genotype of experimental animals. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 12, pp. 684–689, December, 1999