[The spectrum of mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene in the Russian population].

The spectrum of mutations in the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene was studied in a sample of hypercholesterolemia patients of Caucasoid origin from the population of Russia. The examined patients were 45 to 49-years-old and had the highest level of total serum cholesterol in this age group. Seven previously non-described mutations have been revealed in exon 9 (R410G; M412V) and in exon 12 (Y/Y576; N/N591; L605V; L605R; A612G). Twelve previously described mutations have been identified in exons 2 (C/C27), 5 (C261F; E240X), 6 (E288K), 8 (A391T), 9 (E418G; L432R; D433E), 11 (G/G549; E558K; L/L568), and 12 (G592E). Only one of these mutations was previously described in Russia in a clinical sample of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. The spectrum of LDL receptor gene mutations in the population sample of patients with hypercholesterolemia significantly differs from the mutation spectrum in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (clinical samples). Sequencing of the LDL receptor gene is a highly efficient method for identifying the markers of hypercholesterolemia predisposition in a population.

[Status of pathophysiologic research in the field of oncology]. / Sostoianie patofiziologicheskikh issledovanii v oblasti onkologii.

The state of cancer researches is considered from two points of view: 1) study of the properties and specific features of a malignant cell and 2) establishment of the important role of regulatory systems in the tumor-afflicted body in terms of their performance at its different integration levels. Preference is given to the second approach as the most promising tool in developing basic and applied tasks of oncology. It is the second approach which will assist in solving issues associated with neoplasmic prevention and therapy.

[Role of the neutrophilic granulocytic system in the formation of features of the development of a pathologic process]. / Rol' sistemy neitrofil'nykh granulotsitov v formirovanii osobennostei razvitiia patologicheskogo protsessa.

The paper deals with a role of the neutrophilic granulocytic system in the development of a pathological process. Based on the data available in the literature and their own findings, the authors emphasize that the above system plays an ambiguous role in the abnormality. Prominence is given to the data showing a propathogenic effect of leukocytes on the course of a disease under varying environmental conditions. It is concluded that the described ambiguous role of leukocytes in the development of a pathological process may hold true for other cellular systems and other structures forming the specific features of supracellular regulation in the body.

[The functional status of the peripheral blood neutrophilic granulocytes determined by the corona-forming index during tumor growth]. / Funktsional'noe sostoianie neitrofil'nykh granulotsitov perifericheskoi krovi, opredeliaemoe po pokazateliu oreoloobrazovaniia, v protsesse opukholevogo rosta.

It was established that the formation of a primary neoplastic focus, a recurrence of the disease, and the development of a second focus in a previously treated oncological patient occur mainly in reduced indices of corona formation; in extension of a malignant process (carcinoma of the stomach and lungs), in contrast, the corona-forming activity of the segmented neutrophils is characteristically increased. The studied test may be of prognostic importance in appraising the efficacy of the treatment of patients with carcinoma of this localization. The mechanisms determining the trend of changes in the corona formation in a neoplastic process require further study.

[Catecholamines in the erythrocytes of cancer patients]. / Katekholaminy v éritrotsitakh onkologicheskikh bol'nykh.

Cytochemical study of catecholamines in red blood cells of lung cancer patients disclosed the specific features of their content depending on the histological structure of the tumor and the advancement of the tumor process. The catecholamine content was lowest in patients with III-IV stage non-oat cell lung carcinoma and highest in patients with apudomas. The indices studied in groups of patients with benign processes in the lungs and with stage I-II non-oat cell carcinoma did not differ essentially from those in the controls.

[Cellular elements of the blood in the realization of tumor and host interrelations]. / Kletochnye élementy krovi v osushchestvlenii vzaimootnoshenii opukholi i organizma.

The role of blood cells leukocytes and erythrocytes in realizing the tumour and host interrelation is analyzed. Using new approaches to evaluation of the morphological and functional state of these cells (haloformation and echinocytosis indices) the data on ambiguous role of neutrophilic granulocytes and on peculiarities of changes in the surface architectonics of erythrocytes in the malignant process have been obtained. Changes in their state are emphasized as very important for realizing tumour and host interrelations.

[State of erythrocytes and neutrophils in the blood of rats at various durations of latency of DMBA-induced carcinogenesis]. / Sostoianie éritrotsitov i segmentno-iadernykh neitrofilov krovi kryspri razlichnoi dlitel'nosti latentnogo perioda kantserogeneza indutsirovannogo DMBA.

A different response of peripheral blood cells (erythrocytes and polymorphonuclear neutrophils) depending on individual sensitivity of animals to DMBA is observed at the pretumour stage. The lesser reactivity of the erythrocyte membrane as well as the weaker activation of the neutrophils are revealed in a shorter latent period of the malignant process.

[The role of echinocytosis indices in the diagnosis and prognosis of the course of stomach cancer]. / Rol' pokazatelei ékhinotsitoza v diagnostike i prognoze techeniia raka zheludka.

Both malignant and benign pathology development (stomach cancer recurrence included) involved higher levels of prickle-shaped erythrocytes in peripheral blood, particularly, in cases of cancer. However, no changes in clinical blood counts of red blood cells were identified.

[Role of the neutrophils in the pathogenesis of malignant growth]. / Rol' neitrofilov v patogeneze zlokachestvennogo rosta.

The role of neutrophils in pathogenesis of malignant tumours is reviewed. The neutrophils are estimated as a part of a united structure-and-functional system realizing the antiblastic defence of the organism. Three main problems are considered: the role of neutrophils in the formation of antitumour resistance of the organism, neutrophil changes during malignant growth, and some mechanisms of the tumour influence on neutrophils.

[Structural and functional state of the erythrocyte membrane in experimental carcinogenesis]. / Strukturno-funktsional'noe sostoianie membrany éritrotsitov pri éksperimental'nom kantserogeneze.

Structural and functional state of erythrocyte surface membrane was studied in C3H and C57B1/6 mice as well as in Wistar rats after 20-methylcholanthrene administration. It is shown that mice genetically susceptible to tumor growth as compared with mice resistant to carcinogenesis are characterized by an increased level of spinous erythrocytes (echinocytosis), higher membrane microviscosity and a tendency to increase polarity of their membrane lipid bilayer in the region of hydrophobic spine sound localization. The growth of chemically induced sarcomas was also accompanied by echinocytosis but with opposite changes in microviscosity and polarity of the erythrocyte membrane lipid bilayer. It is supposed that spinous erythrocyte transformation induced by different causes is based on different physicochemical factors.

[New informative index of the functional status of polymorphonuclear neutrophils]. / O novom informativnom pokazatele funktsional'nogo sostoianiia segmentoiadernykh neitrofilov.

A new test was applied to study the function of polymorphonuclear neutrophils according to their ability to form oreols in a hypertonic medium. During inhibition of neutrophil function in vivo (desympathetization, tumor growth), oreol formation increased. Stimulation of neutrophils in vitro by adding noradrenaline to the incubation medium led to a decrease in their oreol-forming ability. The data obtained enabled the authors to offer the test for detecting the functional activity of polynuclear cells.

[The role of autoimmune hemolytic processes in echinocytic erythrocyte transformation in malignant growths]. / Rol' autoimmunnykh gemoliticheskikh protsessov v ékhinotsitarnoi transformatsii éritrotsitov pri zlokachestvennom roste.

No direct dependence between the surface change of erythrocyte, echinocytosis, and the activity of lymphocytes producing hemolysins in experimental carcinogenesis was revealed. It is supposed that the echinocytic transformation of erythrocytes under these conditions may be due to the influence of tumour metabolites or other factors, for example, viruses).

[Hemocytes and the pathogenesis of malignant growth]. / Gemotsity i patogenez zlokachestvennogo rosta.

No direct relationship was found between the mechanism of echinocytosis development in cancer patients and hormonal disorders (hypercorticoidism and hyperparathyroidism). However, echinocytic transformation of red blood cells renders their membranes less sensitive to changes in blood levels of these hormones.

[Dynamics of changes in halo-forming cells during pathologic processes]. / Dinamika izmeneniia oreoloobrazuiushchikh kletok pri patologicheskikh protsessakh.

The method of detecting halo-forming cells (HFC) in the peripheral blood is described and the data characterizing the time course of changes in their number are presented. These data indicate that the process of halo formation is not based on the immunological components of plaque formation (complement, antigens or hemolyzing antibodies). HFC have been shown to appear in the peripheral blood somewhat earlier than cells capable of producing antibodies, i.e. plaque-forming cells.