Effect of melipramine on the development of experimental depressive syndrome induced by systemic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)

The effects of chronic administration of melipramine on the development of behavioral signs of depression in rats are studied using the model of a depressive syndrome induced by systemic administration of MPTP. Preadministration of melipramine prevents such MPTP-induced behavioral signs of depression in rats as decreased motor activity, reduced total daily liquid intake, reduced preference of sucrose solution over water, and increased depression index. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Giologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o . 8, pp. 160–163, August, 1995     

Effect of parlodel on the development of a depressive syndrome induced by administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in rats

Effects caused by the chronic administration of Parlodel on the development of behavioral signs of depression in rats are studied using the new model of depressive syndrome induced by the systemic administration of MPTP. Pretreatment with Parlodel prevents locomotor depression, weight loss, reduction of liquid intake, a decline of the preference of sucrose solution over water, and a rise of the depression index and promotes a quicker restoration of exploratory activity, i.e., it safeguards rats from manifestating the behavioral signs of MPTP-induced depression. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 7, pp. 66–70, July, 1995     

Lymphocytes from mice with a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2, 3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)-induced parkinsonian syndrome reduce motor activity in C57Bl/6 mice

Motor activity of C57Bl/6 mice is found to be decreased following syngeneic transfer to them of splenocytes from mice with an MPTP-induced parkinsonian syndrome. The decrease in motor activity does not result from the transfer of MPTP and is apparently associated with the transfer of B lymphocytes and with antibody production by these cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 3, pp. 232–234, March, 1994     

Effects of buspirone on experimental depressive syndrome induced by systemic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in rats

It is shown that pretreatment with buspirone 45–60 min prior to MPTP administration performed daily for 12 days prevented or weakened the development of depressive symptoms in rats. Specifically, it prevented a reduction of daily water intake, weakened the preference for sugar solution over water, and, to a lesser degree, shortened the increase in the duration of immobilization and lowered the index of depression in the forced swimming test, but did not affect the drop in motor and exploratory activity. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, No. 5, pp. 489–494, May, 1996     

The hyperglycemia syndrome in extreme conditions (Burn trauma and crush syndrome): Major aspects of pathogenesis

Using animal models of burn trauma and crush syndrome, the authors show that the main mechanism by which a hyperglycemia syndrome develops in these conditions is an altered interaction of insulin with its receptors in plasma membranes. As a result, the entry of glucose into cells is disrupted, hexokinase activity is lowered, and changes occur in the rates of enzymatic reactions involved in glucose transformations. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 1, pp. 22–25, January, 1994     

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     

Physicochemical properties of membranes and functional status of liver mitochondria in rats with an inherited capacity for increased radical formation

Liver mitochondria of inbred W/SSM rats with inherited increased radical formation reveal the following anomalies: inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation, a lowered transmembrane potential, and alterations in protein-lipid interaction. The membrane viscosity and osmotic stability of mitochondria are unaffected. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 628–631, June, 1995     

Effect of new muramyl dipeptide derivatives on the major components of immunity

Immunomodulatory activity of five new synthetic muramyl dipeptide (MDP) derivatives (β-heptylglycoside-MDP, β-hexadecylglycoside-MDP, polyacrylamide-MDP, polyacrylamide-MDP-phosphatidylethanolamine, and dexal-MDP) is studiedin vitro in different test systems. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 5, pp. 510–513, May, 1994 Presented by N. K. Permyakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Dynamics of aseptic inflammation against the background of α-tocopherol

Administration of α-tocopherol before the induction of inflammation reduces the vascular response and inhibits the leukocyte phase, which limits the development of secondary alterations in tissues. During the reparative period fibroblast proliferation is suppressed and differentiation is accelerated, whereas the synthetic activity is lowered. As a result, the formation of the fibroblast capsule is slowed down. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 9, pp. 249–251, September, 1994 Presented by E. D. Gol'dberg, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effects of hydrocortisone,retabolil, and their combination on the phagocytic activity of rat blood neutrophils

Effects of retabolil on the phagocytic index, phagocytic number, and the nitro blue tetrazolium reduction test with rat blood neutrophils were studied. The drug was found to reduce these parameters. Pretreatment with retabolil arrested or attenuated the depression of neutrophil phagocytic activity caused by hydrocortisone. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 2, pp. 179–180, February, 1995     

Adaptation of the membrane receptor apparatus of blood cells after the combined use of cryodestruction and plasma beam in experimental cirrhosis of the liver

It is shown that cryodestruction combined with resection with a plasma beam aggravates alterations of the functions of the blood cell receptor complex affected by cirrhosis, leading to hypoinsulinemia, inhibited capacity of cells to utilize glucose, a lowered metabolic activity of insulin receptors, and other changes. Three weeks after surgery the energy metabolism of the blood cells returns to the normal level, while the activity of insulin receptors and of hexokinase exceeds the control level. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 647–650, June, 1995 Presented by V. N. Yarygin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Inverter mechanism of the influence exerted by insulin on the plasma membranes of cardiac myocytes in rats of different age

In the plasma membranes of cardiac myocytes from old rats, Na, K-ATPase activity and phosphatidylinositol levels were lower and cardiolipin levels higher than in those from younger (adult) animals. Insulin injected into adult rats elevated Na, K-ATPase activity and phosphatidylethanolarnine levels and caused a sharp fall in phosphatidylinositol levels. In old rats, insulin had no effect on Na, K-ATPase activity, but lowered phosphatidylethanolamine levels. In experiments with cellular hybrids (cytosol+plasma membranes), cytosol from adult rats activated Na, K-ATPase in both adult and old rats, whereas cytosol from old rats failed to activate the enzyme both in old and in adult rats. Actinomycin D prevented the stimulatory effect of insulin on Na,K-ATPase activity. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 8, pp. 122–125, August, 1995     

Behavioral effects of penicillin in a test for anxiety in rats

The use of benzylpenicillin in a wide range of doses to test its influence on the behavior of rats in the elevated-plus maze revealed its activating effects on various behavioral parameters in doses between 10,000 and 150,000 U/kg, indicating that this penicillin exhibits a degree of anxiolytic activity. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 10, pp. 352–354, October, 1995     

Effect of some lectins on the cholinergic structures of the frog heart

The effect of lectins (phytohemagglutinin — PHA, concanavalin A — ConA,Pisum sativum lectin — PSL,Ricinus communis lectin — RCL, and pokeweed mitogen — PWM) on the cardiac cholinoceptors is studied in experiments on isolated hearts of maleRana temporaria frogs. The test lectins in concentrations from 10⁻²³ to 10⁻³ are shown to exhibit cholinomimetic properties. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 9, pp. 252–255, September, 1994 Presented by A. D. Ado, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

The effect of delta-sleep-inducing peptide on the Ca-transporting system of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and activity of the myocardial antioxidant enzymes

It is demonstrated that immobilization stress against the background of lowered catalase activity impairs the function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca pump, particularly at high Ca²⁺ levels. the membranes of intracellular Ca²⁺ depots are destroyed much more rapidly than in the control, which results in Ca²⁺ release. Administration of delta sleep-inducing peptide to control animals results in a 30% increase in catalase activity for an unchanged level of superoxide dismusase and markedly improves the function of the Ca-transporting system at elevated levels of free Ca²⁺. A long-term stress after administration of the peptide not only causes no damage to the Ca-transporting system but actually increases its efficiency (compared with the control) at a high catalase level. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 3, pp. 248–251, March, 1996 Presented by G. N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Stem hematopoietic cells with inserted foreign gene: Proliferative activity and proliferative potential in the long term after transplantation into irradiated mice

The transfer of the human adenosine deaminase gene to murine stem hematopoietic cells is performed on an irradiated sublayer of a long-term bone marrow culture by the conventional method of retroviral transduction with cytokines and by stimulation of stem cells without cytokines. The efficiency of gene transfer into colony-forming units (CFUs) with the aid of cytokines is 72% and without them it is 50%. In irradiated mice reconstituted with the retrovirus-infected bone marrow cells the donor hematopoietic activity is preserved during a 1-year period. The proliferative activity of CFUs of chimeric cells 6 months after the reconstitution was the same and did not depend on the mode of gene transfer. The spleen repopulation activity is lowered in all the groups of chimeric mice 6–12 months after reconstitution. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 6, pp. 648–650, June, 1994 Presented by A. I. Vorob'ev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effects of adaptation to hypoxia on cytochrome levels in the brain and liver of rats

After a prolonged (for 30 days) adaptation of rats to intermittent hypoxia, their brains contained lowered levels of mitochondrial cytochromes, despite an increase in the number of mitochondria in the brain tissue mass, along with similar levels of high-energy compounds and more protein as compaired to the brains of unadapted controls. A mitochondrial population with novel properties presumably emerged in the brain. These effects were all more strongly marked in rats with an initially low resistance to hypoxia. In the liver of hypoxiaadapted animals, unlike in their brain, cytochrome levels in the mitochondrial and microsomal redox chains were lowered and the biogenesis of mitochondria was much less intensive. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 12, pp. 576–579, December, 1995     

Effects of methyluracil and hydroxymethacil on free-radical oxidation in model systems

Three pyrimidine derivatives — methyluracil, hydroxymethacil (a new compound), and its lithium salt — were tested in model systems of differing complexity for antioxidant properties in comparison with the well-known antioxidant ionol. Tests for antiradical activity and for effects on spontaneous and Fe²⁺-ascorbate- or NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation revealed high antioxidant activity (comparable to that of ionol) of the hydroxymethacil lithium salt. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 8, pp. 142–144, August, 1995 Presented by G.N. Kryzhanovskii, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of immunization against alcohol dehydrogenase on the behavior of white rats

Active immunization of white rats with alcohol dehydrogenase (horse ADH-1), a major ethanol-metabolizing enzyme shown to cause considerable and long-term inhibition of alcohol consumption, did not have adverse effects on their behavior. Rather, the rats showed enhanced motor and orienting-exploratory activities, developed conditioned responses (with both positive and negative reinforcements) more readily, and spent less time in a state of immobilization in the forced swimming test as compared with nonimmunized controls. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 10, pp. 349–351, October, 1994     

Involvement of fibronectin and interacting serum components in the regulation of activity of human natural killer cells

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells and the intensity of conjugate formation are studiedin vitro in the natural cytotoxicity reaction against³H-uridine-labeled human erythromyeloleukotic cells K-562 in the presence of fibronectin, γ-globulin, and fibronectin/γ-globulin combination. It is demonstrated that fibronectin does not change natural cytotoxicity, γ-globulin increases the activity of human natural killer cells, and the fibronectin — γ-globulin combination increases both the intensity of conjugate formation and the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 7, pp. 54–59, July, 1994