[The characteristics of formation of antibodies to xeno- and endobiotics in women with inherent malformation of fetus].

The study revealed high levels of antibodies class A and G to benzopyrene and antibodies class G to estradiol and progesterone in women with pathology of fetus development. The most informative indicators of high risk of development of reproductive pathology are established The recommendations concerning the application of antibodies to benzopyrene, estradiol and progesterone in diagnostics of inherent malformations of fetus are provided.

The human C-type lectin-like receptor CLEC-1 is upregulated by TGF-ß and primarily localized in the endoplasmic membrane compartment.

The orphan receptor CLEC-1 is part of a subfamily of C-type lectin-like receptors, which is encoded in the human natural killer gene complex and comprises several pattern recognition receptors important for innate immune functions. As information on human CLEC-1 is still very limited, we aimed to further characterize this receptor. Similar to another subfamily member, LOX-1, expression of CLEC-1 mRNA was detected in myeloid cells as well as in endothelial cells. CLEC-1 protein displayed N-linked glycosylation and formed dimers. However, in contrast to other members of the subfamily, expression levels were upregulated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß, but not significantly affected by proinflammatory stimuli. It is intriguing that human CLEC-1 could only be detected intracellularly with a staining pattern resembling endoplasmic reticulum proteins. Neither TGF-ß nor inflammatory stimuli could promote significant translocation to the cell surface. These findings are in accordance with a primarily intracellular localization and function of human CLEC-1.

Evolutionary development and expression pattern of the myeloid lectin-like receptor gene family encoded within the NK gene complex.

The myeloid cluster within the natural killer (NK) gene complex comprises several C-type lectin-like receptor genes of diverse and highly important functions in the immune system such as LOX-1 and DECTIN-1. Based on sequences that have become available by whole genome sequencing, we conducted a comparison of the human, chimpanzee, mouse and rat NK gene complex to better characterize this gene family and additional genes of this region in regard of their phylogenetic relationship and evolution within the complex. We found that the arrangement of genes within the primate cluster differs from the order and orientation of the corresponding genes in the rodent complex which can be explained by evolutionary duplication and inversion events. Analysis of individual genes revealed a high sequence conservation supporting the prime importance of the encoded proteins. Expression analyses of the more recently described CLEC12B and CLEC9A genes displayed not only mRNA expression in monocytic and dendritic cells, but in contrast to other members of the family also in lymphocytes. Further, two additional genes were identified, which do not encode proteins with lectin-like domain structure and seem to be widely expressed.

[Cytotoxic activity of blood serum in borderline conditions]. / Tsitotoksicheskaia aktivnost' syvorotki krovi pri pogranichnykh sostoianiiakh.

A study was made of cytotoxic activity of blood serum from 118 patients with borderline neuropsychic disorders (neurotic depression, neurosis, psychopathy, pathologic development of the personality on the basis of organic injury to the brain). Material of 114 mentally and somatically healthy donors served as control. Balb mouse thymocytes and organ culture of the rat brain were employed as test objects. ++Anti-thymus activity (ATA) was measured according to the cytotoxic index, whereas neurotoxic activity (NTA) by inhibition of 3H-cholesterol incorporation. The patients and donors groups differed by distribution of persons with high and low values of NTA and ATA. However, according to the mean level of blood serum cytotoxic activity such a difference was revealed only in respect to NTA. The determined parameters are related in a different way to the patient's age and similarly to the disease standing. The intensity of ATA and NTA was different in different nosological subgroups. An interrelationship was established between the clinical and biological dynamics, supporting a possibility of the use of the given tests as predictors of the therapeutic efficacy and the depth of homeostasis derangement.

Evaluation of the carotid bifurcation by duplex ultrasound, intravenous and intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography.

In 167 patients with cerebrovascular disorders 323 carotid bifurcations were investigated by Duplex ultrasound. In 100 of these patients, additionally intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed and in 35 patients, also intra-arterial DSA was carried out. In 32 patients all three procedures were performed. Comparing the results of Duplex scan and intravenous DSA with intra-arterial DSA it can be concluded that Duplex scan and intravenous DSA are comparable as screening methods for the evaluation of haemodynamically relevant stenoses and occlusions in extracranial artery disease. However, for the evaluation of stenotic vessels of less than 50% lumen reduction the Duplex scan showed a higher agreement rate with a contingency coefficient of 0.957 in comparison to intravenous DSA with a contingency coefficient of 0.903.

[Cytotoxic activity of the serum of schizophrenic patients]. / Tsitotoksicheskaia aktivnost' syvorotki krovi bol'nykh shizofreniei.

The action of blood serum obtained from 38 schizophrenic patients and 28 control subjects was studied on new cells: Chinese hamster kidney, diploid human cells and glial cultures of immature ependymoblastoma of type 5 mice (IE-5) and neurinoma of rat trigeminal ganglion. Sera of schizophrenic patients--especially of those with a continuous course and disease standing over 5 years and with a recurrent course and disease standing less than 5 years--were found to be significantly more toxic. In the culture of IU-5, sera from schizophrenic patients of a younger age (the mean age 27 years) exerted the most pronounced cytolytic action. Toxic activity of the serum of schizophrenic patients persisted for 14 days at +4 degrees C and 60 days at -30 degrees C but was reduced following thermal treatment (+56 degrees C, 30 min).