Physicochemical properties of a mitogenetic factor from human lymphocytes induced by phytohemagglutinin

The physiochemical properties of a mitogenetic factor (MF) secreted by human lymphocytesin vitro under the influence of phytohemagglutinin were studied. Treatment of the culture medium with proteases was shown to reduce activity of the MF sharply. On gel chromatography on Sephadex and Biogel columns all the mitogenetic activity was concentrated in fractions corresponding to a molecular weight of 20,000–30,000 (peak at 25,000). On disk electrophoresis in 5% polyacrylamide gel MF migrated in the region of ₁ and ₂ globulins and transferrin and was separated into several fractions. On isoelectric focusing the MF was arranged as three fractions within the pH range 4.5–8.3. The functional heterogeneity of the MF is postulated.Belorussian Research Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR G. V. Vygodchikov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 963–965, August, 1976.     

Expression of the human α-1-antitrypsin gene in heterologous mammalian cells

A genetic-engineering construction is developed containing the full-size cDNA of human α-1-antitrypsin, controlled by the promotor and enhancer elements from cytomegalovirus. It is shown that, after transfection with this recombinant DNA, it is properly expressed in heterologous animal cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 166–167, Feburary, 1993 Presented by A. N. Klimov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Infection of highly differentiated human and guinea pig astrocytes with herpes simplex and measles viruses

The morphogenesis of type I herpes simplex virus and measles virus (Edmonston strain) is studied in primary cultures of highly differentiated human and guinea pig astrocytes. It is shown that astrocytes are involved in infection. Under varied conditions of inoculation, herpes simplex virus causes acute infection, while measles virus induces both acute and chronic infection. Chronic infection is associated with impaired assembly of virions, accumulation of thickened ribonucleoproteins (25–37 nm in diameter) in the cytoplasm, and budding of “empty” viral particles into the extracellular space. Persisting measles virus reactivates 78±9.4% of cells, which is accompanied by hypertrophy and hyperproduction of the glial fibrillar acid protein. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 10, pp. 413–417, October, 1996     

Action of hemolysate of polycythemic animals on proliferations of bonne marrow cells

Erythrocytic inhibitor from polycythemic rats depressed mitotic activity of cells of of the erythroid series in mice by 40%. The inhibitory effect lasted about 12 h. The inhibitor acted on the G₂ period. The points of application of the inhibitor were not only blast forms of the erythron but also hematopoietic stem cells.Department of Pathological Physiology, Moscow Medical Stomatological Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR N. A. Fedorov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 337–339, March, 1977.     

Cytopathogenic action ofEscherichia coli cells containing heterologous human type O(H) antigen on human cells in culture

The character of interaction between two enteropathogenic strains ofEscherichia coli of serotype 055K59 with human HeLa cells containing O(H) isoantigen was studied. On the addition of strainE. coli No. 5789, containing heterologous type O(H) antigen to a culture of HeLa cells, a cytopathogenic action was discovered on the third day of interaction in the presence of doses of bacterial cells of 2·10¹⁰, 2·10⁵, and 2·10⁴. A dose of 2·10³ bacterial cells ofE. coli did not give this effect. Strain No. 3827, not containing heterologous antigen of ABO type, had no cytopathogenic action in maximal, average, and small doses of bacterial cells. It is suggested that the cytopathogenic action of strain No. 5789 is connected with the presence of an antigen in this strain which is identical with the group antigen of the human cell culture studied.Research Laboratory of Experimental Immunobiology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of medical Sciences of the USSR N. N. Zhukov-Verezhnikov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 7, pp. 70–72, July, 1977.     

Duration of the mitotic cycle of chinese hamster cells cultured at 30–39°C

The duration of the mitotic cycle (T) and of its stages at temperatures of 30, 33, 36, and 39°C was studied by an autoradiographic method in Chinese hamster cells of subline 237. The duration of the mitotic cycle was shortest at 39°C and increased as the cultivation temperature fell. Within the temperature range 33–39°C the increase in duration of the mitotic cycle and its stages was proportional to the temperature studied. The slope of the curve of duration of the mitotic cycle as a function of temperature increased sharply as the temperature changed from 33 to 30°C. The G₁ period was most sensitive and the G₂ period least to a change in the cultivation temperature.Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 1365–1367, November, 1976.     

Action of UV radiation on human blood serum under normal and pathological conditions

The effect of a broad UV spectrum on the level of diene conjugates in blood serum lipids of donors and of patients with various diseases was studied. The level of diene conjugates in the blood serum lipids of the donors rose after UV irradiation, whereas in patients with inflammatory diseases it fell. In patients with benign and malignant tumors UV irradiation had virtually no effect on the level of diene conjugates in the blood serum lipids. This method can be used for the development of differential diagnostic criteria for diseases of neoplastic and inflammatory nature.Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk. Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 4, pp. 427–429, April, 1977.     

Effect of epidermal chalones on growth of transplantable tumors

An alcoholic extract obtained from rat skin contains epidermal g₁- and g₂-chalones, and when added to a suspension of cells of a transplantable squamous-cell keratinizing carcinoma of the mouse cervix uteri it inhibits its growth by 72.6% when injected into recipient mice. The extract had no inhibitory action on transplantable mouse tumors of other histogenesis (hepatoma 22a, leukemia L-1210, and sarcoma 180). Epidermal chalones had only weak action (inhibiting growth by 39.2%; P>0.05) on an anaplastic transplantable mouse skin carcinoma, which had lost its primary squamous-cell structure in the course of prolonged passage (more than 10 years).Laboratory of Experimental Tumors and Laboratory of Endocrinology, N. N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, Minsitry of Health of the USSR, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. I. Serebrov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 10, pp. 466–468, October, 1977.     

Secretory reactions of cultured hypophyseal growth hormone-producing adenoma cells to somatoliberin and somatostatin

Somatoliberin stimulates secretion of growth hormone and has no effect on secretion of prolactin in primary cultures of hypophyseal adenoma cells obtained from acromegalic patients. A short-term contact of the cells with somatostatin inhibits secretion of growth hormone, while a long-term contact with this hormone inhibits prolactin production. Somatoliberin abolishes the inhibitory effect of somatostatin on the growth hormone secretion and at high concentrations stimulates it. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 123, No. 3, pp. 323–326, March, 1997     

Immunocytochemical study of the localization of scavenger receptor in human aortic smooth-muscle cells

Scavenger receptor was soughtin situ in human aortic smooth-muscle cells and in a primary culture of intact human aortic intima using antibodies to scavenger receptor. For identification of smooth-muscle cells, double staining making use of antibodies to murine α-actin was used. The presence of scavenger receptor in smooth-muscle cells of the intima and media of human aorta was demonstrated on aortic slices. In cultured smooth-muscle cells from normal human aortic intima scavenger receptor was distributed over the entire surface of the cell membrane, forming clusters in some places. These results suggest that human aortic smooth-muscle cells express scavenger receptor. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 8, pp. 195–198, August, 1995 Presented by V. N. Smirnov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Proliferation characteristics of cultured human aortic endothelial cells and expression of adhesion molecules

Basal expression of the adhesion molecules P-selectin and ICAM-1, which mediate adhesion and transendothelial migration of leukocytes, by endothelial cells of human aorta and umbilical vein and its relationship with the proliferative behavior of these cells are studied in primary prolonged cultures. Inverse proportionality between the percentage of resting endothelial cells and those expressing the adhesion molecules in preconfluent and confluent monolayers, on the one hand, and the percentage of cells in the active cycle which do not express the adhesion molecules, on the other, is demonstrated. This relationship is one of the major causes of thein vitro functional heterogeneity of the endotheliocyte population in the expression of adhesion molecules and its adhesiveness for leukocytes. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 8, pp. 214–217, August, 1996     

Action of serotonin on smooth muscles

Serotonin causes contraction of the smooth muscles of the vas deferens and of a strip of stomach from rats by its action on D-serotonin receptors. Only a small part (about 10–14%) of its contractile effect is due to liberation of endogenous catecholamines. The action of serotonin on a strip of rat stomach is accompanied by increased entry of isotropes⁴⁵Ca and²²Na into its cell. The change of direction of the curve of concentration versus effect of serotonin on the strip of stomach is due to accumulation of sodium ions in the cells.Department of Pharmacology, A. M. Gor'kii Donetsk Medical Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. V. Zakusov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 173–175, February, 1977.     

Comparative efficacy of platidiam and carboplatin against tumor cells of human ovarian primary carcinomas

The efficacies of platidiam and carboplatin against human ovarian cancer cells (21 samples) were compared usingthe in vitro MTT test. Sampling analysis showed a some-what higher mean activity of carboplatin in comparison with platidiam in the dose range equivalent to 0.1 to 3.0 therapeutic doses. The efficacy of carboplatin was found to increase more rapidly with dosage build-up than that of platidiam. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, No. 8, pp. 208–210, August, 1995     

Action of KCN on intact and refractory platelets

The action of potassium cyanide on ADP-induced aggregation of intact and refractory platelets was investigated. Cyanide (5·10^–4 M) had virtually no effect on the aggregation of intact cells but stimulated aggregation of refractory platelets. The stimulating effect of the inhibitor on aggregation was not connected with liberation of further quantities of ADP from the cells. Differences in the sensitivity of the aggregating power of intact and refractory cells to partial depression of metabolism is discussed in terms of the calcium model of autoregulation of platelet aggregation suggested previously.Research Institute of Child and Adolescent Physiology, Academy of Pedagogic Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician V. N. Chernigovskii.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 940–943, August, 1976.     

Phosphoinositide metabolism in endothelial cells of human umbilical vein effected byY. pestis toxin

Histamine stimulates the metabolism of inositol phosphates and raises the level of prostacycline in endothelial cells. The activatory effect of histamine markedly decreases when incubation is performed in the presence of PT, whereas the baseline level of phosphoinositide metabolites does not change in endothelial cells. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 153–155, February, 1994     

Investigation of the action of aflatoxin B1 in vitro andin vivo

The direct and transplacental action of aflatoxin B₁ was compared in organ cultures of embryonic lung tissue of strain A mice, BD-IX rats, and golden hamsters. It was shown to have a toxic action on the culture but no carcinogenic effect. In experiments on mice transplacental penetration of aflatoxin B₁ led to an increased frequency of mammary gland tumors only in the progeny.Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR.Department for the Study of Carcinogenic Agents, Oncologic Scientific Center, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 11, pp. 1349–1352, November, 1976.     

Interaction of bis-β-chlorethylamine estrogen derivatives with human ovarian adenocarcinoma cells

Antiproliferative effect of bis-β-chlorethylamine estrogen derivatives on human ovarian adenocarcinoma CaOV cells depends on the dose of the drug. In concentrations of 10⁻⁵ and 5×10⁻⁶ M they inhibit, while in a dose of 5×10⁻⁷ M stimulate cell proliferation. It is assumed that CaOV cells express estradiol receptors. The interaction of these cytostatics with estrogen-binding sites on CaOV cells is demonstrated. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 302–304, March, 1999