A possibility of correcting oophorectomy syndrome by transplantation of human fetal tissues

The expression of the main symptoms of postoophorectomy syndrome is studied. Comparative analysis of various corrective methods shows that transplantation of human fetal tissues may be used as an alternative approach in cases where hormone replacement therapy is not indicated. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 10, pp. 430–433, October, 1995     

Correction of testosterone-induced changes in a population of hemopoietic precursors by a bone-marrow inhibitor of the proliferative activity of a hemopoietic stem cell

A factor inhibiting the proliferation of splenic colony-forming units, injected bothin vivo and after preincubation of mouse bone marrow cellsin vitro, had a dose-dependent effect on the increased proliferative activity of splenic colony-forming units from the bone marrow of mice treated with testosterone propionate. This was associated with a reduction in the number of early hemopoietic precursors of mouse bone marrow. The counts of clonogenic granulocytic-macrophagal and macrophagal colony-forming units decreased and that of burst-forming units in murine bone marrow increased after exposure to the hormone. Testosterone propionate promoted a decrease of the repopulating potential of bone marrow cells, which recovered after their preincubation with the factor inhibiting the proliferation of splenic colony-forming units. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 10, pp. 394–397, October, 1995     

Morphological and functional characteristics of human pituitary lactotrophic adenomas in cell cultures

Some features of the morphological cellular structure of prolactin secreting human pituitary adenomas and their secretion of prolactin and somatotropic hormone in primary suspension cultures were investigated. A possiblein vitro proliferation of lactotrophs was established. The inhibitory effect of somatostatin and its synthetic analog sandostatin, on prolactin secretion in prolactinomas was found to be less than in somatotropic hormone-secreting pituitary tumors. Presented by A. N. Konovalov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 11, pp. 543–546, November, 1994     

Effect of serotonin deficiency on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system in rat fetuses

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone drops in the hypothalamus of male but not female rat fetuses in serotonin (5-HT) deficiency. This drop is coincident with an increase of the luteinizing hormone (LH) level in blood plasma of males. An influence of testosterone on LH-RH or LH secretion should be ruled out, because the level of testosterone is not changed in the testes and blood plasma. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol.117, N ^o 6, pp. 616–618, June, 1994 Presented by I. B. Zbarskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Role of prolactin in the regulation of some liver cell functions after ligation of common bile duct

In rats with ligated common bile duct, the inhibitor of prolactin secretion bromocriptine inhibited proliferation of bile ducts in males, reduced Na⁺ concentration in bile in females, and elevated blood bilirubin. In males with pituitary transplants, proliferation of bile ducts increased. It was concluded that the effects of prolactin on cholangiocyte proliferation and bile ion content after ligation of the common bile duct are sex-dependent. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny Vol. 127, No. 5, pp. 573–575, May, 1999     

Patterns of interaction between the immune and endocrine systems in the manifestation of hereditary autoimmune disorders in NZB mice

Specific features of immune-endocrine interrelationships and of pituitary-adrenal system functioning are studied in NZB mice with hereditary autoimmune pathology. It is established that the development of disease is accompanied by a weakened response to stress, reduced blood corticosteroid level, and decreased adrenal reactivity to exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone. Moreover, a loss of sensitivity to interleukin-2 is observed. These facts provide evidence of disturbed interaction between the immune and endocrine systems as well as of inhibition of pituitary-adrenal system activity as the autoimmune disease develops. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 4, pp. 394–397, April, 1995     

Effect of adrenocorticotropic hormone and calcitrine on the lung surfactant system by action on lateral hypothalamus and amygdala

It is shown on rats that cobalt activation of the hyperactivity focus in the lateral hypothalamic area causes a decrease of the phospholipid and cholesterol content and a reduced blood supply in the lungs but an increase of these factors in the basolateral amygdala area. Intracranial microinjection of adrenocorticotropic hormone, combined administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone+calcitrine, and administration of calcitrine alone cause a marked increase of the alveolar phospholipid content and normalize blood filling for action on the lateral hypothalamic area. Action on the basolateral amygdala induces an increase of the phospholipid and cholesterol concentration and augmentation of lung blood supply, but to a lesser degree. The role of peptidergic mechanisms in the realization of hypothalamic and amygdala influences on lung surfactant and hemodynamics is described. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 2, pp. 133–135, February, 1995 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of sodium succinate on histomorphological changes of autodermic grafts in rats

Sodium succinate was found to increase the viability of epithelial cells in autodermic transplants. It stimulated the proliferation of epidermal cells of the basal layer, enhanced the activity of succinate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and adenosine triphosphatase, intensified the formation of keratin, and activated the ingrowth of blood vessels through the generation of functioning endothelial cells. Translated fromByulleten' Experimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 126, No. 11, pp. 555–560, November, 1998     

Proton NMR relaxation of the nonaqueous component of human blood serum

Proton magnetic resonance relaxation was experimentally studied in native blood serum in groups of healthy subjects and patients with malignant tumors. Although the longitudinal relaxation timeT ₁ of the aqueous component in these groups was found to differ reliably, the longitudinal relaxation time of nonexchanging or slowly exchanging protons in these samples within the attained range of accuracy was virtually the same. Moreover, it was revealed that the amplitude of the “nonaqueous component” of blood serum correlates with the protein concentration in the samples. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 10, pp. 445–448, October, 1995     

Arterial Wall Adaptation under Elevated Longitudinal Stretch in Organ Culture

Arteries in vivo are subjected to large longitudinal stretch which may change significantly due to vascular disease and surgery. However, little is known about the effect of longitudinal stretch on vascular function and wall remodeling, although the effects of tensile and shear stress from blood pressure and flow have been well documented. To study the effect of longitudinal stretch on vascular function and wall remodeling, porcine carotid arteries were longitudinally stretched 20% more than in vivo for 5 days while being maintained in an ex vivo organ culture system under conditions of pulsatile flow at physiologic pressure. Vessel viability was demonstrated by strong vasomotor responses to norepinephrine (NE, 10^-6M), carbachol (10^-6M), and sodium nitroprusside (10^-5M), as well as by dense staining for mitochondrial activity and a low occurrence of cell necrosis. Cell proliferation was examined by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Results showed that arteries maintain normal structure and viability after 5 days in organ culture. Both the stretched and control arteries demonstrated significant contractile responses. For example, both stretched and control arteries showed approximately 10% diameter contraction in response to NE. Stretched arteries contained 8% BrdU-positive cells compared to 5% in controls (p < 0.05). These results indicate that longitudinal stretch promotes cell proliferation in arteries while maintaining arterial function. © 2003 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC2003: 8719Rr, 8717Ee, 8719Uv     

Suppressive activity of bone marrow cells from patients with stomach cancer. Effect of prostaglandins, transforming growth factor-β, and nitric oxide

It is shown that nonadhesive bone marrow cells from patients with stomach cancer suppress phytohemagglutinin-stimulated proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy donors and proliferation of Molt-4-human lymphoma cellsin vitro. Suppressive activity of bone marrow cells from cancer patients is not mediated through prostaglandin secretion, since indomethacin has no effect on it. Addition of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies to transforming growth factor-2₁, 2₂, and 2₃ partially reduces this suppressive effect. Suppressive effect of bone marrow cells from patients with stomach cancer is partially mediated through production of nitric oxide, since the inhibitor of its synthesis N⁹-monomethyl-L-arginine diminishes the inhibiting effect of bone marrow cells from cancer patients on phytohemagglutinin-stimulated proliferation of peripheral blood T cells from healthy donors. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 125, No. 2, pp. 217–220, February, 1998     

Immune status of oncological patients during therapy with fetal preparations

The parameters of humoral and cell-mediated immunity were studied in cancer patients treated with fetal preparations. The study revealed a tendency towards an increase in serum interferon and activity of tumor necrosis factor-α (in the patients with pronounced response to therapy), increased count of CD8⁺-lymphocytes (in the patients not responding to embryonal proteins) and a tendency towards a decrease in the counts of lymphocytes with signs of apoptosis in the patients in whom the treatment was ineffective. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 5, pp. 576–578, May, 1997     

Female sexual receptivity is defective in juvenile hormone-deficient mutants of theapterous gene ofDrosophila melanogaster

During reproductive maturation of female insects, the acquisition of sexual receptivity is coordinated with ovarian development. Juvenile homone regulates vitellogenesis in the ovaries, but the action of this hormone in the development of sexual behavior is less well-understood. A strain ofDrosophila melanogaster carrying a mutation in theapterous gene(ap ⁴) was known to exhibit arrested vitellogenesis (rescuable by applying exogenous juvenile hormone), sterility of both sexes, and a deficiency of juvenile hormone. In this study, we examined the effects of mutations ofap on female receptivity and its relationship to juvenile hormone. We observed abnormally low female receptivity in homozygousap strains, and heteroallelic combinations ofap mutations exhibited low receptivity. For female receptivity,ap showed no dominance (i.e.,ap/ap ⁺ was intermediate betweenap/ap andap ⁺/ap ⁺). Low receptivity mapped genetically to theap locus. The reduction in female receptivity in these mutants is positively correlated with levels of juvenile hormone synthesized by their corpora allata.This work was supported in part by The Scheinfeld Center for Humans Genetics in the Social Sciences (J.R.), The National Science Foundation (BNS-882 1339 to J.R.), BARD (No. IS-1664-89R to D.S.), The Israel Cancer Research Fund (grant to D.S.), The Rekanati Foundation of Tel Aviv University (grant to D.S.), and The Israeli Fruit Council (award to M.A.)     

Measurement of glucose concentrations in human blood sera with a bacterial biosensor

A laboratory model of a bacterial sensor based on Clarke's electrode is used to measure the glucose concentration in human blood, serum. The results of the measurements are compatible with the data of standard blood glucose measurement using the color reaction with orthotoluidine, which is used in medical biochemical laboratories, and with the results of measurements by means of the commercial glucose analyzer Eksan-G. The coefficients of correlation with the data of the glucose analyzer and of the routine method of glucose measurements were 0.97 in both cases. The accuracy of glucose measurement by the bacterial sensor is within 2%. Translated fromByulleten's Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 8, pp. 218–221, August, 1995     

Interaction of selected pregna-D'-pentaranes with cytosolic receptors of myometrium and endometrium in various disease states

The relative capacities of several pregna-D'-pentaranes to combine with cytosolic receptors of the myometrium and endometrium in various disease states are investigated, and one of the compounds, 6α-methyl-16α, 17α-cyclohexanoprogesterone, is identified as holding particular promise for clinical use in replacement therapy and as a contraceptive agent. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 2, pp. 163–165, February, 1995     

Effect of mouse antiserum against isologous aggregated immunoglobulins on accumulation of rosette-forming and antibody-forming cells in mice immunized with sheep's red blood cells

Data are given on the effect of mouse antiserum against isologous aggregated immunoglobulins (MAAS) on the kinetics of rosette-forming (RFC) and antibody-forming cells (AFC) in mice immunized with sheep's red blood cells (SRBC). The effect of MAAS in the experimentsin vivo was assessed by injecting this serum for 5 days into CBA mice, the first injecting being combined with injection of 5.10⁷ SRBC. Injection of MAAS into mice immunized with SRBC was shown to cause a marked decrease in the number of RFC in the spleen on the 5th and 9th days after immunization. MAAS has no appreciable effect at these same times on proliferation of AFC producing IgM hemagglutinins. Meanwhile MAAS intensified proliferation of IgG-AFC during the period when the number of these cells of the spleen in the immunized mice was maximal. After adsorption of MAAS with immune complexes formed by mouse IgG antibodies this serum was shown to lose much of its ability to block RFCin vivo. It is postulated on the basis of these results that the property of MAAS of influencing the accumulation of RFC and AFC producing IgG hemagglutinins is due to a factor which reacts with the immune complex formed by mouse IgG antibodies. This factor may perhaps be antibodies against aggregated immunoglobulins of this class.Laboratory of Immunochemistry, 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 P. A. Vershilova.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 85, No. 5, pp. 557–560, May, 1978.     

Increased expression of the CD80 accessory molecule by alveolar macrophages in asthmatic subjects and its functional involvement in allergen presentation to autologous TH2 lymphocytes

Background: Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are more efficient antigen-presenting cells in allergic individuals than in nonatopic subjects. Objective: We studied whether this difference may be correlated to increased expression of membrane costimulatory molecules, such as the B7 molecules (CD80 and CD86). Methods: Eleven subjects with allergic asthma sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and 5 healthy nonatopic volunteers underwent bronchoalveolar lavage, and the costimulatory molecule expression on AMs was evaluated. Peripheral blood T cells, either freshly isolated or as established D pteronyssinus -specific cell lines, were cultured with autologous monocytes or AMs as antigen-presenting cells. In vitro allergen-induced proliferation and cytokine production were evaluated in the presence of B7-blocking reagents. Results: Allergic individuals had a significantly higher proportion of AMs expressing the CD80 molecule than control subjects (28.5% ± 14.8% vs 1.4% ± 1.2%; P < .001), whereas no difference was observed in CD86 expression (2.0% ± 2.3% vs 1.1% ± 0.6; P > .1). In a large proportion of the asthmatic subjects we studied, AMs were presenting soluble antigens (tetanus toxoid and streptolysin-O) to freshly isolated T cells more efficiently than AMs from nonatopic control subjects. Finally, both T-cell proliferation and cytokine production of D pteronyssinus- specific established T-cell lines were inhibited by a CD80-blocking antibody in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Costimulation by means of CD80 expressed by AMs is probably involved in the amplification of the allergen-specific T-lymphocyte response in the airways of asthmatic subjects. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:1136-42.)     

Influence of Tribulus terrestris extract on lipid profile and endothelial structure in developing atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of rabbits on a high-cholesterol diet

The aim of this study was to investigate the pleotropic effects of an extract of a traditional herb, Tribulus terrestris (TT), on the lipid profile and vascular endothelium of the abdominal aorta in New Zealand rabbits fed a cholesterol-rich diet. Eighteen rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (n=6 for each). One experimental group (EG-I) was given a cholesterol-rich diet, a second experimental group (EG-II) was treated with TT following a cholesterol-rich diet, and a control group (CG) was fed a standard diet. Blood samples were collected on day 0 and then at weeks 4 and 12 to determine total serum cholesterol (TC), high density lipid-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipid-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) levels. Tissues were collected from the abdominal aorta for immunohistochemistry and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In EG-II, the serum lipid profile was significantly lower than that of EG-I at week 12 with a reduction of TC: 65%; LDL-C: 66%; HDL-C: 64%; TG: 55%. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that endothelial damage was more prominent in EG-I compared to EG-II. The ruptured endothelial linings and damaged cellular surfaces increased in EG-I compared to EG-II. Our data indicate that dietary intake of TT can significantly lower serum lipid profiles, decrease endothelial cellular surface damage and rupture and may partially repair the endothelial dysfunction resulting from hyperlipidemia.     

Opsonic activity of the serum of germfree guinea pigs contaminated by single strains of the intestinal microflora

The effect of contamination of germfree guinea pigs by single strains of the intestinal microflora (Bacillus mesentericus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus albus, andStreptococcus faecalis), on the formation of the opsonic activity of the blood serum was studied. An increase in opsonic activity against all microorganisms was observed on the 11th day after the corresponding monocontamination, and the serum had a stimulating effect on the intracellular digestion of cells ofB. mesentericus andB. subtilis. With respect to pathogenic microorganisms (E. coli 055) onlyS. faecalis cells were able to stimulate the opsonic activity of the serum. The results point to the existence of a connection between the composition of the microflora and the opsonic activity of the animals' blood serum. The level of this index also depends on the properties of the object of phagocytosis.Research Laboratory of Experimental Biological Models, Moscow Region. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. M. Chernukh.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 196–198, February, 1977.