Peptides Selected Using Phage Library Variants, Effectively Inhibit Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.

Four peptide sequences characterized by high content of hydrophobic, charged, and polar amino acids were obtained from 23 clones of M13 phage. Peptides P2 and P4 exhibited highest binding affinity for immobilized trypomastigotes. The inhibitory effects of peptides seemed to be due to blockade of certain epitopes on T. cruzi surface proteins responsible for interactions with the respective receptors of host cells.

Effects of Ultrasonic Disintegrates from Epimastigote Biomass of Trypanosoma cruzi Albarrada Strain (Mexico) on the Development of L5178Y Solid Malignant Transplanted Tumors in Male BALB/c Mice.

We studied in vivo antitumor effect of epimastigote form detritus of Trypanosoma cruzi, Mexican Albarrada strain, on L5178Y malignant tumor in BALB/c mice. The antitumor effect of ultrasonic detritus of the parasite was confirmed by shrinkage of the tumor and changed size of its symplastic necroses.

Effects of specific antibodies and immunocompetent cells on tumor growth in passive transfer experiment.

Experiments with passive transfer of immunocompetent cell and serum demonstrated suppression of tumor growth after transfer of splenocytes from animals immunized with Trypanosoma cruzi. The nonspecific constituent of antitumor effect of immunocompetent cells was detected. The previously reported oncoprotective effect of mucins 2 and 3 was not confirmed.

Hydrogen respiratory test: pilot examinations for evaluation of the small intestinal colonization by normal microflora.

Respiration hydrogen analyzer H2Rate has been used in pilot examinations of a group of students. This method for noninvasive diagnosis of small intestinal diseases promotes proper interpretation of the results. Free hydrogen level in the exhaled air increases as a result of lactulose (diagnostic agent) cleavage by enteric microflora within about 3 h. Based on the experimental data, the main groups with characteristic curves reflecting the time course of hydrogen concentrations have been distinguished. Excessive bacterial colonization of the intestine can correspond to emergence of characteristic peaks of hydrogen concentrations in the curve. Hydrogen concentrations in exhaled air can also be analyzed to evaluate the rate of the substrate propulsion in the middle compartment of the intestine.

Integral approach to evaluation of the pathogenic activity of Trypanosoma cruzi clones as exemplified by the Mexican strain.

Comparative histopathological study and analysis of parasite load in different muscle groups were carried out in BALB/c mice during the acute phase of Chagas disease. Activities of C104 clone of T. cruzi strain TPAP/MX/2002/Albarrada and the parental strain were compared. Panoramic 2D-microscopy imaging of sample surface was used and quantitative analysis of parasitism and pathologic damage was performed. The infection rates in various muscle groups were as follows: myocardium=abdominal muscles=lumbar muscles=femoral muscles<--diaphragm for the clone and myocardium¬abdominal muscles=lumbar muscles=femoral muscles-->diaphragm for the parental strain.

Effect of basal hormone profile on the formation of the vaginal bacterial cenosis in women.

Adhesion activity of L. acidophilus NK1, L. fermentum 90 TS4, and C. albicans 506 B on female vaginal epithelium was studied. Adhesion of various lactobacillus species was hormone-dependent. Adhesion of C. albicans 506 B was not associated with estrogen level. The effects of synthetic drugs and phytopreparations used for hormone replacement on adhesion of vaginal microbiocenosis members varied.

Application of electrochemical breath test for detection of Helicobacter pylori in screening of Moscow students.

The incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection is analyzed by the results of screening of first- and fourth-year students of Moscow Institute of Foreign Affairs using HelicoSense Scientific breath test system. Age-related dynamics of the infection in patients examined for the first time has been traced. The data on infection rates in patients after eradication therapy are presented.

Phytoestrogen effects on vaginal microbiocenosis of Sprague-Dawley rats.

Phytoestrogens present in the plants endemic for Chile were studied. The effects of phytoextract [specimen of preparation No. 181 (fraction b)] on target tissues were similar to those of estradiol. The preparation inhibited the stimulatory effect of estradiol on vaginal lactobacilli population.

Modulatory effect of the lectin-binding component, added to gel, on adhesion of yeast-like Candida fungi in vivo.

The lectin-binding component added to gel was studied in vivo as a potential therapeutic and preventive agent in experimental vaginal candidiasis. Laboratory studies demonstrated its antimycotic effect in relapsing vaginal candidiasis in mice.

Damaging effects of lyticase on Candida albicans and changes in the response of rat alveolar macrophages to the contact with yeast-like fungi.

Changes in the cell wall of yeast-like fungi Candida albicans caused by bacterial enzyme lyticase were studied under an electron microscope. The results were compared with the findings on phagocytosis of lyticase-treated Candida albicans by rat alveolar macrophages. It was shown that destruction of the mannan and fibrous outer layers of the cell wall of yeast-like fungi treated with the enzyme led to the release of intracellular organelles and their content. Lyticase treatment reduced the resistance of Candida albicans to intracellular digestion by macrophages contributing to completion of phagocytosis.

Efficiency of lyticase (bacterial enzyme) in experimental candidal vaginitis in mice.

Lyticase (a bacterial enzyme) was tested as a new antimycotic drug. Of all objects studied, Cellulomonas cellulans AC-870 strain proved to be most productive for this enzyme. A technology for lyticase isolation and purification was proposed. An experimental model of recurrent vaginal candidiasis was created. The model includes combined antibiotic and estradiol therapy. Antimycotic effect of lyticase on the model of recurrent vaginal candidiasis in mice was demonstrated.

Study of antimycotic activity of lyticase.

Laboratory studies of lyticase (enzymatic drug) as an antimycotic agent were carried out. The enzyme reduced optical density of Candida albicans test culture, inhibited adhesion of yeast-like fungi on vaginal epitheliocytes, stimulated the formation of germinative tubes, and made Candida albicans more available for phagocytosis.

[Immunization against Trypanosoma cruzi and tumor growth in mice].

The evidence has been produced that immunological mechanisms are involved in the known anticancer phenomenon of T. cruzi. Non-inbred albino mice were immunized with avirulent cultures of three strains and seven clones and then transplanted a tumor--sarcoma-180 or Ehrlich's adenocarcinoma. The used cultures induced the generation of T. cruzi antibodies whose level peaked by postimmunization days 50-60: the titers being 1:40-1:80 and the spread among the mice being 60%. Concurrently, immunization against T. cruzi provided a certain oncoprotective effect. In the immunized mice, the sizes of sarcoma-180 and adenocarcinoma were 1.5-2.0 and 2.0-2.5 times, respectively, less than those in the non-immunized ones. The antitumor protection was directly related to the murine blood T. cruzi antibody level during which implantation of a tumor occurred. At the peak of an immune response, the effect was 2 times higher than that in the early postimmunization periods. T. cruzi strains that were more immunogenic than clones ensured a more significant oncoprotection. The latter was more considerable in mice having antibody titers of 1:40-1:80 than in those with antibody titers of 1:10-1:20 and particularly in the animals showing no humoral response to the administration of the parasites at all.

[The agglutination test of coracidia of pseudophyllidean cestodes and its use in cestodological research]. / Reaktsiia aggliutinatsii koratsidiev psevdofillidnykh tsestod i ee ispol'zovanie v tsestodologicheskikh issledovaniiakh.

Ability of coracidia to agglutination in homologous antiserum was established. The method of reaction of a direct agglutination of coracidia (RDAC) in the culture of alive larvae was described. When comparing the RDAC results in homologous and heterologous variants a dependence of the agglutination pattern on the degree of antiserum homology was established. On the example of RDAC of the cestodes Diphyllobothrium dendriticum and D. ditremum in polyvalent and species-specific antisera to D. dendriticum possibility was shown of RDAC usage in the studies on specific taxonomy of pseudophyllid cestodes.

[Protective properties of the cavitary fluid antigens of Ascaris suum]. / Protektivnye svoistva antigenov polostnoi zhidkosti Ascaris suum.

Fractions of cavitary fluid of Ascaris (CFA) containing antigens were obtained on membranous filters. Being administered to mice they provide the development of protective immunity of animals to their subsequent infection with invasional eggs of A. suum. In mice immunized with fraction CFA XM-50 the number of A. suum larvae obtained from the lungs on the 7th day of invasion was confidentially lower than in control animals (15.277) +/- 1.825 on the 7th day of invasion was confidentially lower than in control animals (15.277 +/- 1.825 and 58.10 +/- 1.588, respectively, p less than 0.001). Immunisation of mice with fraction XM-300 caused less pronounced protective effect. Low-molecular antigens of the fraction UM-05 possess tolerant properties. In mice immunized with fraction UM-05 the number of A. suum larvae obtained from the lungs on the 7th day after invasion was greater than in control ones (68.22 +/- 6.24 and 49.39 +/- 4.13, respectively, p less than 0.001).

[Isolation of antigens from Echinococcus granulousus cysts by gradual membrane filtration]. / Vydelenie antigenov iz puzyrei Echinococcus granulousus metodom stupenchatoi membrannoi fil'tratsii.

High molecular fractions were obtained by gradual membrane diafiltration and their antigenic and enzymatic (carboxylesterase) activity were analyzed. Degree of the fractions' homogeneity was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Active antigenic complexes were discovered in fractions with m. m. over 300.000 and 100.000 = 300.000.

[Immunochemical characteristics of echinococcal fluid used for preparing immunodiagnostic preparations]. / Immunokhimicheskaia kharakteristika ékhinokokkovoi zhidkosti, ispol'zuemoi dlia prigotovleniia immunodiagnosticheskikh preparatov.

Protein content, antigenic activity, presence of enzymatic (carboxylesterase) activity and fractional content were determined by high performance liquid chromatography in 6 samples of echinococcal fluid from cysts isolated from sheep, cattle and pigs. Significant differences between the contents of above-mentioned characteristics in various echinococcal fluid samples were observed. The highest content of diagnostically valuable components was revealed in cysts isolated from sheeps' liver. Authors come to the conclusion on the necessity of choosing criteria of assessment of echinococcal fluid samples' fitness for echinococcosis diagnosis.