Voltammetric Quality Control of Bioactive Additives: Determination of B<Subscript>1</Subscript>, B<Subscript>2</Subscript>, C,E Vitamins and Quercetin

Rapid voltammetric procedures for the determination of water-soluble vitamins C, B₁, and B₂, fat-soluble vitamin E (α-tocopherol acetate), and quercetin in bioactive food additives have been developed. The systematic error (i.e., correctness) of the proposed procedures was evaluated using certified reference materials and the additive recovery tests, which gave the following limiting metrological characteristics: relative error, 25 %; reproducibility, 28 %; convergence, 22 %. The full analysis time (with sample preparation) did not exceed 2 hours. Voltammetric determinations under optimum conditions can be performed in the automated regime controlled by a computer according to the specially developed software.__________Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 54 – 56, March, 2005.     

Monoclonal antibodies to the Karelian fever virus. The characteristics of their biological properties

Biological properties of 6 variants of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to Karelian fever virus, a member of the alpha-virus serocomplex Sindbis-WEE, produced by the available hybridomas. The productivity of hybridomas of the "Karel" series in tissue culture and in cultivation as ascitic fluid was evaluated. Among the antibodies analysed, all were specific to envelope proteins, of them 2 were against protein E2 and four against protein E1. Comparison of MCA biologic activity (neutralizing, antihemagglutinating activities, participation in immunofluorescence, EIA, and immune blotting) allows one to distinguish four different hybridomas among them producing specific antibodies differing in their properties.     

Genetic modification of liver grafts with an adenoviral vector encoding the Bcl-2 gene improves organ preservation

BACKGROUND: Liver function after transplantation is determined by the quality of the donor organ and the influences of preservation, flush, and reperfusion injury. In this regard, cell death (apoptosis) plays an important role in organ preservation and rejection. Therefore, we examined the possibility of genetic modification of the liver graft with a recombinant adenovirus vector encoding the Bcl-2 gene to reduce apoptosis during the preservation time. METHODS: Liver grafts from C57B1/6 mice were procured and preserved using standard techniques. A replication defective adenovirus vector (deltaE1) containing the human Bcl-2 gene (AdCMVhBcl-2) was developed in our laboratory. An adenovirus vector encoding an irrelevant gene (Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase) was used as a control. Each mouse received 1 x 10(9) plaque forming units administered i.v. 48 hr before the liver procurement. Analyses of liver enzyme activities were determined in the preservation solution. Apoptosis in liver biopsies was determined by DNA fragmentation with an in situ histochemical assay. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR confirmed the expression of hBcl-2 in the grafts. Grafts from livers expressing hBcl-2 showed significant reduction of the aspartame amino transferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release compared with grafts from the control groups. After rewarming, significant cytoprotection was also observed in grafts from animals treated with AdCMVhBcl-2. Histological analysis correlated with the hepatocellular injury determined with transaminases and LDH in the preservation solution. Significant reduction in the number of apoptotic cells was observed in grafts expressing hBcl-2. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated a novel approach to reducing the preservation injury to liver grafts with the human Bcl-2 gene. This approach may allow a longer preservation time, potentially reduce the incidence of primary nonfunction, decrease the immunogenicity of the cold injured organ, and increase the safer use of "marginal" liver grafts.     

Treatment strategy in diverticulosis of the colon

The results of treatment of 645 patients with diverticular disease of the colon have been analysed. There were 65.4% of women and 34.6%--of men, 54.4% of patients were hospitalized urgently and 45.6% electively. 82.5% of patients underwent conservative treatment, 24.8% of them were operated. In hyperkinetic type of bowel motor activity preference was given to mini-invasive organ-saving operations. In 28 cases Laparoscopic serosa myotomy by Reilly and Hodson were carried out (in 17 cases through miniapproach). In hypokinetic type various types of resection of the colon (20 patients) were performed. In necessity for urgent operation various methods of operations may be made depending on general condition of the patient and extension of the pathologic process. In 29 cases initial resection with anastomosis has been performed. Postoperative complications developed in 20.5% patients. There were no lethal outcomes. In 66 cases 2-stage operations were carried out, lethality being 10.6%, and complications--23.7%.     

Assessment of aldehyde dehydrogenase in viable cells

Cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), an enzyme responsible for oxidizing intracellular aldehydes, has an important role in ethanol, vitamin A, and cyclophosphamide metabolism. High expression of this enzyme in primitive stem cells from multiple tissues, including bone marrow and intestine, appears to be an important mechanism by which these cells are resistant to cyclophosphamide. However, although hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) express high levels of cytosolic ALDH, isolating viable HSC by their ALDH expression has not been possible because ALDH is an intracellular protein. We found that a fluorescent aldehyde, dansyl aminoacetaldehyde (DAAA), could be used in flow cytometry experiments to isolate viable mouse and human cells based on their ALDH content. The level of dansyl fluorescence exhibited by cells after incubation with DAAA paralleled cytosolic ALDH levels determined by Western blotting and the sensitivity of the cells to cyclophosphamide. Moreover, DAAA appeared to be a more sensitive means of assessing cytosolic ALDH levels than Western blotting. Bone marrow progenitors treated with DAAA proliferated normally. Furthermore, marrow cells expressing high levels of dansyl fluorescence after incubation with DAAA were enriched for hematopoietic progenitors. The ability to isolate viable cells that express high levels of cytosolic ALDH could be an important component of methodology for identifying and purifying HSC and for studying cyclophosphamide-resistant tumor cell populations.     

Synergistic effect of aqueous extract of Telfaria occidentalis on the biological activities of artesunate in Plasmodium berghei infected mice

Background

Resistance to most antimalarial drugs has encouraged the use of herbal preparations along with prescribed orthodox drugs.

Objective

To investigate effect of co-administration of aqueous extract of T. occidentalis leaves; commonly used as antimalarial and haematinic agent in Nigeria and artesunate using P. berghei animal model.

Methods

In vivo curative antiplasmodial effect of T. occidentalis (200mg/kg) alone and combination with artesunate (2mg/kg) were evaluated using albino mice infected with 10⁶ parasitized erythrocytes of P. berghei intraperitoneally. The haematological parameters: haemoglobin level, red blood cells and white blood cells and packed cell volume were monitored using standard methods.

Results

Aqueous extract of T. occidentalis, artesunate and the combination gave 72.17±4.07%, 70.43± 4.27% and 85.43±3.65% reduction in parasitaemia after 48hours respectively. A significant enhancement of the PCV was obtained with the coadministration of artesunate and aqueous extract (p< 0.01). Similar trends were also observed with heamatological parameters at 72hours of administration.

Conclusion

This study revealed a synergistic effect of the co-administration on parasite clearance rate of P. berghei infection in mice, with a significant enhancement of haematological parameters within 48 hours of administration. This indicates a rapid rate of recovery from plasmodial infections with the co-administration.     

Pharmacokinetics of enalapril and metoprolol in hypertensive patients with hepatic pathology

AIM: To examine characteristics of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of enalapril and metoprolol in hypertensive patients with gastrointestinal diseases to make relevant corrections in the treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 36 hypertensive patients with steatosis, hepatic cirrhosis and ulcer. All the patients received metoprolol or enalapril. Concentrations of metoprolol and enalaprilate (active enalapril metabolite) were determined with high performace liquid chromatography. The findings gave grounds for calculation of mean drug retention time (MRT) and area under curve "concentration-time" (AUC). Efficacy of the drugs was estimated by the data of 24-h blood pressure monitoring. RESULTS: Hypertensive patients with hepatic diseases given enalapril exhibited lowering of maximal concentration (C(max)) of enalaprilate and prolongation of time of its reaching (T(max)) compared to ulcer patients. MRT and AUC were increased in hepatic cirrhosis patients treated with enalapril and metoprolol. Metoprolol C(max) in this group of patients was higher than in the controls. Blood pressure monitoring showed that enalapril therapy was more effective in ulcer patients vs patients with liver diseases. Metoprolol treatment of hypertensive patients with hepatic cirrhosis resulted in development of bradycardia. CONCLUSION: In hypertensive patients with liver diseases on enalapril therapy its metabolite production may appear insufficient for therapeutic effect and higher dose may be needed. Metoprolol in the treatment of hypertensive patients with hepatic cirrhosis should be used with caution because of disturbance of its metabolism and possible cumulative effects.     

Expression in plants and immunogenicity of plant virus-based experimental rabies vaccine

A new approach to the production and delivery of vaccine antigens is the use of engineered amino virus-based vectors. A chimeric peptide containing antigenic determinants from rabies virus glycoprotein (G protein) (amino acids 253-275) and nucleoprotein (N protein) (amino acids 404-418) was PCR-amplified and cloned as a translational fusion product with the alfalfa mosaic virus (AlMV) coat protein (CP). This recombinant CP was expressed in two plant virus-based expression systems. The first one utilized transgenic Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun NN plants providing replicative functions in trans for full-length infectious RNA3 of AlMV (NF1-g24). The second one utilized Nicotiana benthamiana and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) plants using autonomously replicating tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) lacking native CP (Av/A4-g24). Recombinant virus containing the chimeric rabies virus epitope was isolated from infected transgenic N. tabacum cv. Samsun NN plants and used for parenteral immunization of mice. Mice immunized with recombinant virus were protected against challenge infection. Based on the previously demonstrated efficacy of this plant virus-based experimental rabies vaccine when orally administered to mice in virus-infected unprocessed raw spinach leaves, we assessed its efficacy in human volunteers. Three of five volunteers who had previously been immunized against rabies virus with a conventional vaccine specifically responded against the peptide antigen after ingesting spinach leaves infected with the recombinant virus. When rabies virus non-immune individuals were fed the same material, 5/9 demonstrated significant antibody responses to either rabies virus or AlMV. Following a single dose of conventional rabies virus vaccine, three of these individuals showed detectable levels of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies, whereas none of five controls revealed these antibodies. These findings provide clear indication of the potential of the plant virus-based expression systems as supplementary oral booster for rabies vaccinations.