[House-dust mites allergen for specific immunotherapy by oral administration: experimental study].

The oral medicinal form of house-dust allergen has been prepared with the use of new technology. To produce the preparation, the standard water-saline extract obtained from house-dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae) allergen has been used. This preparation is chemically stable and does not lose its biological activity for 2 - 3 years of storage. The microbiological purity of the allergen meets the requirements for oral preparations. The allergen has proved to be safe in cases of prolonged administration and has no chronic toxicity. As shown with the use of immunochemical methods, the preparation has high immunogenicity and lower allergenicity. This preparation may be recommended for clinical trials on a limited circle of subjects.

Clinico-electrophysiological correlates in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: The degree of neurological deficit was evaluated in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Clinical and electrophysiological changes before and after treatment were compared in an attempt to find significant associations between the indicators of disease activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In all the patients (n = 35, mean age 32.05 +/- 2.67 years) EDSS rating was assessed prior to and 2 months after the beginning of treatment with methylprednisolone (MP)--13 patients, and with MP in combination with cyclophosphamide (CPH)--22 patients. Transcranial magnetic stimulation with measuring central latency time (CLT) was performed in 20 patients (mean age 30.85 +/- 8.01 years) before and at the end of the 2nd month after treatment with MP independently (9 patients) and MP combined with CPH (11 patients). In another 15 patients with a mean age of 33.67 +/- 7.45 years VEPs are examined (P100 latency) before and on the 2nd month after treatment with MP (4 patients) and MP combined with CPH (11 patients). RESULTS: CLT (P < 0.001) and P100 (P < 0.001) were significantly shortened after treatment in comparison with the baseline values. A significant correlation (P < 0.05) between CLT and the pyramid subscale was found. CONCLUSION: The results suggests that CTL and P100 reflect the effect of treatment on the intensity of the pathological process, the CLT correlating with the severity of the pyramid deficit according to EDSS rating in the course of the treatment.

[Fractional composition of the allergens from cereals]. / Izuchenie fraktsionnogo sostava allergenov iz zlakovykh.

The composition of cereal allergens was studied and the specific activity of the fractions isolated from these allergens was determined. Four protein fractions were obtained from wheat flour by the method of salting out. None of the fractions thus obtained exceeded the whole wheat allergen in specific activity as determined in the indirect mast-cell degranulation (IMCD) test. Three fractions were isolated by fractionation through Sephadex G-75. Of these, the first fraction possessed better physical properties, and its specific activity exceeded that of the initial allergen in the IMCD test.

[Use of the indirect hemagglutination inhibition reaction for evaluating the specific activity of allergens]. / Primenenie reaktsii tormozheniia nepriamoi hemaggliutinatsii dlia otsenki spetsificheskoi aktivnosti allergenov.

To evaluate the specific activity of house-dust allergen, the passive hemagglutination inhibition test was used. Nine commercial batches of house-dust allergen were studied by means of this test. The results of the determination of the activity of house-dust allergen in the passive hemagglutination inhibition test, the skin tests and the indirect mast-cell degranulation test were in good correlation.

[Comparative immunological characteristics of Daphnia allergens]. / Sravnitel'naia immunologicheskaia kharakteristika allergenov iz dafnii.

Materials on the study of Daphnia allergens are presented. Daphnia allergens have been shown to possess considerable sensitizing properties. The optimum method for the preparation of the allergen has been selected. The method of measuring the electrophoretic mobility of cells with a view to the evaluation of the specific activity of Daphnia allergen is proposed.

[Immunotherapy in the complex treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis with sensitization to house dust mites]. / Immunoterapia v kompleksnom lechenii bol'nykh atopicheskim dermatitom s sensibilizatsiei k kleshcham domashnei pyli.

Ninety-nine patients aged 16-52 years with disseminated atopic dermatitis at the remission were examined and treated. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the method of therapy. Group 1 (28 patients aged 17-52 years, found to be sensitive to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae) received, in addition to standard treatment, immunotherapy (oral hyposensitization with mite allergens) in combination with ointment containing retinopalmitate and methyluracil. Group 2 (39 patients aged 17-40 years) received standard treatment combined with the administration of placebo. Group 3 (32 patients aged 16-27 years) received only standard therapy. Groups 2 and 3 were used for comparison. The results of treatment were evaluated according to changes in the immune status of the patients and a complex of clinical characteristics. Essential improvement in clinical characteristics and the normalization of immunological parameters were registered in group 1, which proved that immunotherapy was effective and safe.

[Allergic sensitivity in different groups of patients with atopic dermatitis]. / Allergochuvstvitel'nost' v razlichnykh gruppakh bol'nykh, stradaiushchikh atopicheskim dermatitom.

69 patients with atopic dermatitis, aged 16-42 years, were examined. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of patients with atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis (25 patients), group 2 consisted of patients without the respiratory syndrome (44 patients). Scarification skin tests made it possible to find out the essential difference in the sensitivity of the examinees in these two groups. In group 1 the prevalence of sensitization to house-dust mites in 23 patients (92%) with monosensitization in 8 patients (32% of the group) was observed. In group 2 sensitivity of house-dust mites was lower: it was registered in 16 patients (36%) with monosensitization in 2 patients (4% of the group). The presence of cross-sensitivity between mite allergens and Candida albicans was established. In accordance with the results of scarification skin tests, treatment included the use of antihistamine preparations, antipruritic remedies and hormonal ointments as well as the elimination of sensitizing allergens. Improvement was registered in 21 patients.

[Allergenic activity of mites of the genus Dermatophagoides]. / Allergennaia aktivnost' kleshchei roda Dermatophagoides.

The allergenic activities of the laboratory batches of D. farinae allergens have been studied by the methods of indirect mast-cell degranulation, neuroglial cytocrit, electrophoretic mobility changes. D. farinae allergens have been shown to possess specific activity. The method of changes in the electrophoretic mobility of sheep red blood cells has demonstrated that D. pteronyssimus and D. farinae allergens possess common allergenic properties.

[Effect of mite allergens on the electrophoretic mobility of guinea pig lymphocytes]. / Izuchenie vliianiia kleshchevykh allergenov na élektroforeticheskuiu podvizhnost' limfotsitov morskikh svinok.

The use of the method of electrophoretic mobility measurement has made it possible to demonstrate that Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae allergens are species-specific and possess common antigenic properties. The allergenic properties of D. pteronyssinus allergens are more pronounced than those of D. farinae allergens.

[Study of allergens from vegetables, fruits and berries]. / Izuchenie allergenov iz ovoshchei, fruktov i iagod.

Different methods of obtaining allergens from vegetables, fruit and berries have been evaluated. Two technologies for obtaining food allergens have been considered; of these, Coca's method has proved to be more technological, economical and less labor-consuming. The newly developed technology has made it possible to obtain stable, safe and specifically active allergens which may be used for diagnosing food allergy.

[Role of cockroaches Blatella germanica in the development of atopic bronchial asthma]. / Rol' tarakanov Blatella germanica v razvitii atopicheskoi bronkhial'noi astmy.

The results of the development of manufacturing technology for the preparation of allergen from the bodies of cockroaches and the physico-chemical characteristics of this allergen are presented. The complex allergological examination of patients with atopic bronchial asthma revealed that 69.3% of such patients were sensitized to house dust, and in 68.4% of them IgE antibodies to cockroach allergens were detected. Patients with atopic bronchial asthma, not sensitized to house dust, were found to have sensitization to Blatella germanica in 12.2% of cases.

[Dynamics of the hormone profile and cardiovascular changes in toxic goiter as affected by lithium carbonate]. / Dinamika gormonal'nogo profilia i serdechno-sosudistykh izmenenii pri toksicheskom zobe pod vliianiem karbonata litiia.

Clinical and physiological data, characterizing a total endocrinological status, thyroid hormone secretion and the cardiovascular functional state, were determined in 68 patients with diffuse toxic goiter of different severity. Lithium carbonate tablets (0.3 g) were indicated orally in a dose of 0.9 to 1.2 g daily during 3--4 months. Good results were obtained in 48.5% of the patients, moderate ones in 41.2% and in 10.3% of cases the drug was ineffective. Over a period of lithium carbonate treatment the thyroid iodine-containing and hormone-forming functions improved, renin plasmatic activity and cortisol level lowered, hyperactivity of the insular apparatus diminished. Hemocirculatory signs returned to normal and hyperdynamic ones decreased. Lithium carbonate is particularly effective in mild and moderate thyrotoxicoses, as well as during a preparing patients for the radical treatment, i.e. strumectomy.