Ergoferon Increases IL-2 Production by Activated Lymphocytes.

We studied the effects of Ergoferon on the production of antiviral cytokine IL-2 by type 1 CD4+T cells. Preincubation of Jurkat cells with Ergoferon increased IL-2 secretion by these cells after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycine in comparison with the placebo group. The data prove that Ergoferon is capable of activating cell cascades involved in the realization of the antiviral immune response.

Effects of Release-Active Antibodies to CD4 Receptor on the Level of lck-Kinase in Cultured Mononuclear Cells from Human Peripheral Blood.

For evaluation of effects of release-active antibodies to CD4 on cultured lymphocytes from human peripheral blood, we measured intracellular content of lck-kinase cell-based ELISA. In cells treated with release-active antibodies to CD4, the content of intracellular lck-kinase significantly (p<0.01) decreased in comparison with the control (purified water processed in a similar way). Phytohemagglutinin had no effect on the concentration of lck-kinase in cells. The decrease in the content of CD4-associated lck protein suggests that the preparation enhanced intracellular coupling of lck-kinase with T-cell receptor and potentiated T-cell immune response.

Subetta Enhances Sensitivity of Human Muscle Cells to Insulin.

Addition of Subetta to insulin (10 nM) increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake 43% (p<0.001). Moreover, glucose uptake stimulated by insulin (10 nM) in the presence of Subetta was similar to that stimulated by 300 nM insulin. These findings suggest that Subetta significantly enhanced insulin sensitivity of tissues through stimulation of glucose transport to myocytes mediated by glucose transporter 4.

Subetta increases phosphorylation of insulin receptor ß-subunit alone and in the presence of insulin.

It has been previously shown that Subetta (a drug containing released-active forms of antibodies to the insulin receptor ß-subunit and antibodies to endothelial nitric oxide synthase) stimulated insulin-induced adiponectin production by mature human adipocytes in the absence of insulin. Therefore, it was assumed that Subetta could activate the insulin receptor. To confirm this hypothesis, the capacity of Subetta to activate the insulin receptor in mature human adipocytes in the absence or presence of the insulin was investigated. Cells were incubated either with Subetta or with vehicle, or with basal medium for 3 days. Then, adipocytes were treated with water or insulin (100 nm) for 15 min. Following treatment, lysates were prepared and phosphorylation of insulin receptor ß-subunits was analyzed by western blot analysis. It was shown that Subetta significantly increased (P<0.001) the 'phosphorylated-insulin receptor ß-subunit/total insulin receptor ß-subunit' ratios in both the presence and the absence of insulin. These results support previously published data and indicate that Subetta could activate the insulin receptor through the effect on its ß-subunits, whose conformational state is essential for insulin receptor activation. This action might serve as one of the primary mechanisms of the drug's antidiabetic effect.

[Prognosis and prognostic factors in oncology and oncologic surgery ]. / Prognóza a prognostické faktory v onkologii a onkochirurgii.

At present time, we can see increasing interest in prognosis and prognostic factors. This review refers to the problems of prognostics in oncology and oncosurgery. Authors emphasize importance of prognosis and its integrating role in issues of treatment tactics and strategy selection. This article presents main classification of prognostic factors, e.g. the subject-based one, which consists of three groups-tumor-related, host-related and environment related factors. Factors that belong to the first group are anatomic extent of disease that is classified according to the TNM classification, tumor histopathologic factors and a great number of molecular and genetic factors. The question of clinical relevance of those factors is discussed. Host-related prognostic factors include inherent demographic characteristics, performance status, comorbid conditions and others. Environment-related prognostic factors involve physician, the health care system and society as a whole. This group of prognostic factors is less studied, despite the fact that namely these factors can have fundamental importance in questions of disease outcome.