The effect of amplifying reproduction of influenza virus in mouse lungs during simultaneous infection with two cold-adapted strains

Reproduction of cold-adapted (ca) strains of influenza virus in the lungs of white mice after separate and combined inoculation and the properties of isolates derived from the infected animals were studied. It was shown that after combined inoculation with ca and ts strains A/Leningrad/134/17/57 (H2N2) and A/PR/8/59/1 (H1N1) ca recombinants could develop loosing some ts mutations and possessing (unlike the master strains) pneumo-virulence for mice. All the pneumo-virulent reassortants inherited hemagglutinin from the ca A/PR/8/59/1 strain and PB1 protein from the ca A/Leningrad/134/17/57 strain. The results indicate that it is unsafe to construct live recombinant divaccines by combining the recombinants produced from different donors of attenuation.     

Damage of vascular endothelium in the treatment of acute leukemia: in vitro study

AIM: Cytostatic drugs used in the treatment of hemopoietic malignancies affect cells of other organs and systems, vascular endothelium, in particular. This leads to cardiovascular complications. We studied effects of some drugs and their combinations on cultured human endothelial cells (EC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Primary culture of umbilical human vein EC was used in the study. Cytosinearabinoside (cytozar, alexan, cytarabin) and daunorubicin were added in concentration from 1 ng/ml to 1 mg/ml; the action of the drugs was assessed by morphology of the cells, their viability, inclusion of bromodesoxyuridine by means of cloning, immunohistochemistry and flow cytofluorimetry. RESULTS: It is shown that in a wide range of concentrations cytosinearabinoside and daunorubicine cause specific structural-functional changes in the cells related to cytostatic and cytotoxic effects. CONCLUSION: The data of the study confirm that cardiovascular complications in the course of acute leukemia treatment are resultant from systemic damage to vascular endothelium.     

Phage display selection of peptides that affect prostate carcinoma cells attachment and invasion

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer-specific proteins must be identified to serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers. Cell surface proteins are especially important, because they have potential utility as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Identification of ligands for these proteins will allow use of these ligands as diagnostic and therapeutic tools and permit the investigation of receptor function. We performed a search for peptide ligands to prostate cancer cell-specific receptors. METHODS: Peptide phage display library was used to isolate specific ligands to LNCaP prostate carcinoma cells receptors. Selected phage and cognate peptides were investigated for their cancer-related functions, such as the ability to interfere with cell adhesion, spreading, motility, and invasion. RESULTS: Phage designated pg35, blocked spreading of LNCaP cells and their derivatives C4-2 and C4-2b. Cognate peptide did not inhibit spreading, but incubation of C4-2 and C4-2b cells with cognate peptide increased their affinity for endothelial cells and invasiveness. In addition, the peptide activates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and 9 in C4-2 and C4-2b cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that identified ligands may play a role in tumorigenicity and metastatic transformation of prostate cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first identification of a functional cancer-specific peptide ligand using the phage display approach.     

5/6肾切除大鼠早期模型中p38MAPK的动态变化

目的：研究5/6肾切除大鼠模型中p38MAPK磷酸化的动态表达情况。方法：82只雄性SD大鼠分为两组：5/6肾切除模型组72只,假手术对照组10只。模型组造模完成后,分别于肾切除早期（术后1/2h、1h、3h、6h、12h、1d、2d、4d）相应时间点处死,每组9只,假手术组于术后12h处死,称量各组体重及残余肾重,计算肥大指数;下腔静脉取血留取血清测定血肌酐（Scr）、尿素氮（BUN）;以Western blotting免疫印迹法检测肾皮质磷酸化p38MAPK活性的表达情况;以病理光镜和电镜观察肾小球、肾小管及肾间质组织形态学及超微结构的变化。结果：模型组与对照组相比,肾脏呈代偿性肥大,肥大指数增高（P〈0.05）,Scr和BUN升高（P均〈0.01）。免疫印迹法显示5/6肾切除术后1/2h、1h、3h、6h、12h磷酸化p38信号呈递增趋势,尤以12h信号最强,之后信号减弱,2d时几乎不可见,4d有较弱的信号,假手术组未见明显信号。光镜下,发现肾小球有轻度系膜细胞增生,基质增宽不明显,肾小管偶有轻度变性,间质偶有炎性细胞浸润。电镜下,偶见足突局灶融合。结论：5/6肾切除大鼠在造模完成后12h时磷酸化p38MAPK表达最强。