[Age-specific morphophynctional features of pancreatic endocrine apparatus in rats.]

Dysfunctions of endocrine organs play a priority role in the disruption of the regulation of normal functioning of the aging body. In the study age-related morphological and functional changes in the rat pancreatic insula apparatus have been investigated. With age fibrosis increased in both the pancreatic islets and exocrine pancreas. Non-functional hypertrophy of the islets, mainly due to the proliferation of connective tissue, was observed in rats under conditions of physiological aging. Immunohistochemical and biochemical studies revealed depletion of the islets insulin-producing function, development of hyperglycemia, accumulation of glycated proteins in the blood and change in oxidative stress indicators in 24-month-old rats.

Water Immersion as a Model of Hypogravity.

We studied the effects of hypogravity modeled by water immersion on cognitive functions and physiological parameters of monkeys. Cognitive capacities of monkeys were evaluated using computer-controlled joystick task with food reward in case of target hit. Water immersion (3 days for 3 h) affected in cognitive functions, body temperature, and blood parameters. The intensity of changes depended on the type of monkey behavior. In animals with non-aggressive behavior, the number of target hits did not decrease after water immersion, and even slightly increased. On the contrary, aggressive monkeys showed poorer test performance. Body temperature after each cycle of water immersion was decreased slightly in non-aggressive monkeys, while in aggressive animals, the changes were significant. At the same time, changes in the erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit were significant in non-aggressive monkeys. Our results are in line with previous data performed on BION biosatellites and correspond to changes of physiological parameters in astronauts during space flights.

The potential beneficial role of isoflavones in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes is a chronic global disease afflicting a substantial number of people worldwide. Different mechanisms have been highlighted in the progression of this disease such as dysfunction of pancreatic ß-cells, insulin resistance, elevated levels of free fatty acids which result in overproduction of reactive oxygen species, as well as pancreatic ß-cell failure and apoptosis. Isoflavones, are polyphenolic phytochemicals found in most leguminous plants, and have been identified as potentially useful antidiabetic agents. The pleiotropic effects of isoflavones include the targeting of numerous cell signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Several observational studies have supported the direct relationship between isoflavones intake and a lowered risk of diabetes. The aim of this review was to summarize relevant findings on the effects of isoflavone intake and risk of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to highlight some of the possible anti-diabetic molecular mechanisms of these polyphenols. Despite the promising therapeutic effects of isoflavones to moderate risk of T2DM, the underlying mechanisms for their preventive effects are still largely unknown. The acceptable human dosage levels of these polyphenols remain a debatable topic as these have a profound influence on the observed benefits. Considerable numbers of well-controlled, long-term human clinical studies of these phytochemicals are highly recommended. Furthermore, combinations of isoflavones and their derivatives in combination with other naturally isolated compounds, and perhaps even those drugs currently used therapeutically to control diabetes mellitus in clinical practice, may be worth exploring in the future.

The impact of immunomodulator compound from the group of substituted thiadiazines on the course of stress reaction.

A significant role of the stress response to many different diseases prompted a search for new specialized and non-specialized anti-stress agents. This study examines the effect of the compound L17 from the group of 5-phenyl substituted-6H-1,3,4-thiadiazine-2-amines, on the manifestations of the stress response. The authors used a standard model of immobilization stress, in which an animal was immobilized on its back for 6h a day. Parameters of the morphological and functional states of the organs studied were measured and biochemical and enzyme-immunoassays were carried out on the first and second days. This study reveals that the main mechanism by which the L17 compound mediates of its anti-stress was by activation of macrophages on the second day of the experiments and the inhibition of apoptosis in the thymus. The results enable us to suggest that the compound L17 does not improve resistance to stress; however, it does lower the reaction to stress.

Morphological restructuring of myocardium during the early phase of experimental diabetes mellitus.

The purpose of this study was to determine the specific features of the morphological restructuring of the myocardium in the early stage of experimental diabetes mellitus (DM). Experimental type 1 DM rat model was developed by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan solution at a dose of 30 mg per 100 g body mass. After 1 month, 3 mL of blood was drawn by heart puncture and the plasma separated by centrifugation for biochemical analysis. Plasma glucose, insulin, and glycosylated haemoglobin in whole blood were determined. Light microscopy and morphometric studies were conducted of histological slices of the hearts of experimental animals. The investigation of heart morphology showed a statistically significant alteration in chamber wall thickness in the right auricle in rats with alloxan-induced DM. A change in cardiomyocyte diameter in myocardium slices was observed in all chambers of DM rats except for the left ventricle. Average cardiomyocyte diameter in rats with experimental DM increased by 26.6% and 15.5% in the right auricle and right ventricle, respectively, while average cardiomyocyte diameter in the left auricle decreased by 20.8%. Histological investigation of the heart following alloxan injection demonstrated, under the epicardium, distended vessels of the venous collecting microcirculatory system. Aggregation and agglutination of red blood cells and endothelial cell destruction were found in some vessels. In the early stage of DM development, structural alterations in the microcirculatory channels and myocardiocytes can be observed in the heart. These structural alterations were most evident in the right chambers of the heart.

Modulation of macrophages and response of CD117(+) cells of different localization after liver damage in mice.

We studied the effects of stimulation of mononuclear phagocyte system on the state of CD117(+) hepatocytes of growth zone and CD117(+) hemopoietic stem cells after liver damage. Increased number of CD117(+) hepatocytes and enhanced expression of given antigen was revealed. CD117(+) hemopoietic stem cells respond to the impact by migration to the regenerating organ.

Modulation of inflammatory response improves myocardial infarct healing in rats.

It is reputed that the ideal therapeutic approaches to treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and myocardium infarction (MI) should be aimed at the inflammation reaction triggers. This study investigated the effectiveness of the impact of L- 17 compound of the group of 5- phenyl substituted-6H-1,3,4-thiadiazine-2-amines upon the course of experimental MI as compared to the impact of a preparation, officially registered in Russia as an immunomodulator, Tamerit, belonging to phthalhydrazid derivative substance. Acute MI in rats was induced by left coronary artery coagulation. Histological study of the myocardium sections and biochemical analysis has been carried out at the 1st and 7th days of the experimental MI. The conducted investigations have shown that under the action of immunocorrectors the inflammation reaction character changes, exudative/destructive inflammation is replaced by a proliferative-cellular one. Animals' blood biochemical analysis at the background of L-17 and Tamerit introduction has shown a decrease of aminotransferases and lactatedehydrogenases activity in blood as compared to the reference group of animals' indicators, which is evidently caused by epicardial injury of myocardium and lesser amount of the alternative cardiomyocytes. At the same time, no noticeable difference in biochemical characteristics in groups, having been treated to immunomodulators of different chemical composition was identified, which is the sign of the essential similarity of their impact. Thus, immunocorrectors of different chemical groups (Tamerit and compound L17) diminish the volume of initial myocardial infarction and accelerate the granulation processes in course of MI, and represent a new category of treatment agents.

Reaction of CD117+ cells to renal lesion under conditions of phagocytic mononuclear system stimulation.

The content of CD117(+)cells in the kidneys and CD45(low)CD117(+)cells in the bone marrow and blood of mice were studied after partial nephrectomy and under conditions of macrophage stimulation with 3-aminophthalhydrazide. The counts of tubular CD117(+)epitheliocytes sharply increased and the content of CD45(low)CD117(+)cells in the bone marrow decreased after renal damage. Injection of 3-aminophthalhydrazide stimulated the expression of CD117 by renal epitheliocytes and led to reduction of CD45(low)CD117(+)cell counts in the bone marrow and blood. Macrophages stimulated proliferative processes in the kidney and differentiation of stem cells in the bone marrow due to synergic effects of their cytokines and stem cell factor.

Modulation of reparative regeneration and CD117 expression by liver cells after partial hepatectomy in mice.

The effects of 3-aminophthalhydrazide and carrageenan on reparative regeneration and expression of CD117 by liver cells after partial hepatectomy were studied in mice. 3-Aminophthalhydrazide stimulated regeneration of the liver and increased the count of CD117(+) hepatocytes. By contrast, carrageenan inhibited liver reparation and CD117 expression.

Application of spatially distributed field of electric impulses for correction of angiogenesis in ischemic muscular tissue.

Influence of spatially distributed field of electric impulses in a projection to cervical ganglions of the sympathetic nervous system on angiogenesis in ischemic muscular tissue of a rat's shin has been studied. It is revealed that blood supply of animals, influenced by the field, is restored through increase in quantity of capillaries in ischemic tissues, and number of products of endogenous intoxication is reduced.

[Effect of immunomodulators on liver regeneration].

The directed influence of immunomodulators on various chains of the immune system makes possible the control over liver restoration processes, as demonstrated on the model of hepatic resection. It is established that macrophages together with T-lymphocytes play a very important role in the process of liver regeneration.

Role of functional activity of phagocytic mononuclear system in the formation of autoprostheses for angioplasty.

The possibility of formation of connective-tissue vascular prostheses on subcutaneously implanted polychlorovynil base was demonstrated in experiments on rats. Suppression of the function of phagocytic cell with carrageenan decelerates, while its stimulation with tamerit accelerates the formation of connective-tissue autoprostheses.

Changes in erythropoiesis during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy.

Changes in erythropoiesis during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy depended on functional activity of phagocytosing mononuclear cells.

[Molecular reasons for the regulation of the enzymatic activity of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I as studied by dynamic light scattering and fluorescent spectroscopy].

The effect of catalytic bivalent and inhibitory monovalent cations on the interactions of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I with the circle single-stranded DNA of M13 phase was studied. It was found that monovalent cations affect the site of binding to DNA and the active center of the enzyme; in their presence, a break of the formation of the enzyme-substrate complex occurs. The results provide evidence that conformational changes of the protein molecule in all cases are more substantial that it could be expected from X-ray data published earlier.

[The blood system and the organism adaptation to extreme factor]. / Sistema krovi i adaptatsiia organizma k ékstremal'nym faktoram.

The formation of blood system adoptive reaction in many cases is defined by the type of action and the condition of hemopoietic inductive microenvironment: hemodynamics of hemopoietic tissue, functional conditions of bone marrow macrophages, mast cells and glycosaminoglycans content. The shift in hemodlobin fraction occurs in extreme conditions requiring an increased gas transport by the blood. In case of tissue lesion, lymphocytes stimulate their regeneration. Morphogenetic function of lymphoid cells may be alerted by immunomodulators. Blood cells participate in angiogenesis, and this property may be used for vessel grafts production.

[Interaction of lactoferrin with plasmid DNA studied by laser correlation spectroscopy]. / Kharakter vzaimodeistviia laktoferrina s plazmidnymi DNK po dannym lazernoi korreliatsionnoi spektroskopii.

The interactions of lactoferrin with plasmid DNAs substantially differing in the number of affine regions were studied. The dissociation constants for protein-nucleic acid complexes were determined. The possibility of standardizing the conditions for preparing multicomponent systems for gene-substituting therapy by laser correlation spectroscopy is discussed.

[The energy metabolism of the liver under the action on the body of different durations of hypokinesia]. / Energeticheskii obmen v pecheni pri deistvii na organizm gipokinezii razlichnoi prodolzhitel'nosti.

Studies of tissue respiration and oxidative phosphorylation of homogenates in the liver of white rats indicated that the 3-day hypokinesia is associated with a decreased rate of endogenic respiration and an increased amythal-resistant respiration. On the 10th day, there occurs a sharp increase of the oxidation rate of the endo- and exogenic substrates and the separation of oxidative phosphorylation takes place. During 30-day immobilization, the homogenate respiratory activity again decreases while on the 70-140th days of an exposure the oxidation rate of endo- and exogenic substrates increases with an increased effect of endogenic succinate on the hepatocyte energy metabolism. The possible mechanism disturbances in the liver of immobilized animals are discussed.

[The function of the pancreatic islet cells during prolonged hypokinesia]. / Funktsional'noe sostoianie ostrovkovykh kletok podzheludochnoi zhelezy pri dlitel'noi gipokinezii.

The content of insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, somatostatin, and glucose was studied in the blood of animals experiencing 3, 10, 30, 70, and 140-day hypokinesia (HK) and the cAMP content--in their liver and renal cortex. It was found that in 3-day HK insulin production and catabolism are sharply stimulated, the glucagon and glucose content is increased, the somatostatin level is reduced, and cAMP content in the liver and kidneys is reduced. Ten-day HK is characterized by hyperglycemia, an almost normal hormone content, and increased cAMP level in the renal cortex. In 30-day HK the blood insulin and glucagon content, the content of cAMP in the liver and renal cortex are sharply increased, and the level of somatostatin and glucose is reduced. In 70-day HK the content of glucose and hormones in the blood is reduced, the cAMP level in both organs does not differ from that in the controls. In 140-day HK the concentration of insulin and glucagon in the blood of the animals increases significantly and the level of glycemia normalizes, evidently through increase of cAMP in the liver and kidneys.

[Energy metabolism in the kidneys after hypokinesia of varying duration]. / Energeticheskii obmen v pochkakh pri deistvii na organizm gipokinezii razlichnoi dlitel'nosti.

This paper presents data suggesting that tissue homogenates can be used to assess mitochondrial oxidation. The effect of hypokinesia of various duration on tissue respiration and oxidative phosphorylation of rat kidneys was investigated for the first time. It was found that 3-day hypokinesia led to a decrease of tissue respiration due to a lower contribution of endogenous fatty acids; 10-day hypokinesia caused activation of tissue respiration on endogenous and exogenous pyridine and flavoprotein-dependent substrates; 30-, 70- and 140-day hypokinesia brought about changes in energy formation at the expense of inhibition of respiratory activity of preparations and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. Mechanisms of the above disturbances in energy metabolism reactions of kidneys are discussed.