[Clinical significance of intracellular cytokines in patients with yersiniosis].

AIM: To evaluate clinical value of intracellular content of interferon-gamma (If-g), IL-2 and IL-4 in different forms of yersiniosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The number of If-g, IL-2 and IL-4 producing cells was estimated in 35 patients with generalized (n = 21, group 1) and secondary-focal (n = 14, group 2) forms of yersiniosis. RESULTS: The control over the number of If-g, IL-2 and IL-4 producing cells in the blood enables valid prognosis of the course and outcome of yersiniosis. CONCLUSION: Pathological processes developing in acute yersiniosis are based on interleukin-dependent immunopathology.

[Development of immunopathology in patients with yersinia infection].

AIM: To evaluate clinical significance of changes in IL-6 concentration and neopterin in peripheral blood of patients for prognosis of the course and outcome of yersinia infection (YI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical examination and laboratory tests, 1-5-year follow-up were conducted in 68 patients with a cyclic, recurrent and lingering course of the disease. IL-6 and neopterin concentrations were measured in the course of the disease. RESULTS: Dynamic control over IL-6 concentrations in the blood of patients with yersinia infection provides information predicting the disease course and prognosis. Blood concentrations of neopterin are of help in prognostication of long-term outcomes of acute infection. CONCLUSION: Pathological syndromes forming in acute stage of yersinia infection are related to interleukin-dependent immunopathology.

[The effect of the blood serum factors of HIV-infected persons on the functional activity of the neutrophils in healthy donors]. / Vliianie faktorov syvorotki krovi VICh-infitsirovannykh lits na funktsional'nuiu aktivnost' neitrofilov zdorovykh donorov.

The influence of 64 blood serum samples from HIV-infected patients at different stages of the infection on the functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) of 9 healthy donors was studied. In this study an increase in the production of oxygen radicals by PMN of the donors was revealed (in the chemiluminescence test), positive correlations between this increase and stages of HIV infection were followed. The presence of HIV-positive serum in the incubation medium led to the inhibition of phagocytosis and produced almost no changes in the capacity of PMN for its completion. A decrease in phagocytosis correlated with the level of complement and did not depend on other serum factors; on the contrary, an increase in chemiluminescence was not linked with the levels of complement, but had correlative relationships with the levels of anti-HIV antibodies and circulating immune complexes.

[The presence of HIV DNA in the neutrophils of persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus and the clinical parallels of this phenomenon]. / Prisutstvie DNK VICh v neitrofilakh lits, infitsirovannykh virusom immunodefitsita cheloveka, i klinicheskie paralleli étogo fenomena.

Relationships between some clinical data and the detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) of 37 HIV-infected persons were studied. HIV DNA was determined with the use of polymerase chain reaction. The level of HIV DNA in PMN, sufficient for determination, was mostly detected in persons with clinical manifestations of HIV infection and less frequently in asymptomatic patients (46.7% and 18.2% respectively, p < 0.05). The significant relationship between the presence of HIV DNA in NP and a decrease in the CD4/CD8 ratio, as well as an increase in the level of immunoglobulins in the blood serum, has been established. The presence of HIV DNA in PMN was positively related to the decrease of the functional activity of these cells and the level of PMN in peripheral blood. The infection of PMN with HIV may be one of important mechanisms of their damage in HIV infection.

Modification of lymphocyte and monocyte functional activity by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in HIV infection.

The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) can modify the immune response in HIV cases. Supernatants of PMN (PMNS) from 33 HIV-infected patients (16 with lymphoadenopathy syndrome, 17 with AIDS-related complex) were tested for their influence on the functional activity of lymphocytes and monocytes from 6 healthy donors. PMNS from another 6 healthy donors comprised a control group. It was found that PMNS from HIV-infected patients, but not from healthy donors, induced suppression of lymphocyte proliferative response and down-regulation of CD8 receptor expression on lymphocytes. Decrease of NK-cell cytotoxicity in the presence of PMNS from HIV-infected patients was the same as that from healthy donors. PMNS did not influence the production of anti-HIV antibody by lymphocytes from HIV-infected patients, as well as non-specific IgG by lymphocytes from healthy donors. PMNS effect on functional activity of lymphocytes was blocked completely after treatment of PMN by catalase and superoxide dismutase. At the same time PMNS from HIV-infected patients but not from healthy donors induced increased production of TNF-alpha by monocytes and up-regulation of monocyte phagocytosis. These effects were independent of catalase and superoxide dismutase and were not abrogated by antibody against IL-1, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma or IFN-alpha.

Impact of HIV-positive sera on the functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils from healthy donors.

The impact of the sera from 64 HIV-1-infected patients on the functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) from 9 healthy donors was investigated. Augmentation of PMN oxygen radical production in the presence of sera from HIV-infected patients (PMN chemiluminescence) was demonstrated. This enhancement was connected with intracellular generation of chemiluminescence (CL). A significant correlation between this enhancement and stages of HIV infection was not found. The presence of the sera from HIV-infected patients in the incubation media led to a decrease of PMN phagocytosis. It was found that contrary impact of the sera on PMN CL and phagocytosis was connected with different factors. The decrease of PMN phagocytosis correlated with the level of complement and was independent of other factors. At the same time the increase of PMN CL was not connected with the level of complement activity but correlated with the level of anti-HIV antibody and circulating immune complexes. The reasons for this phenomenon are unclear. It was suggested that one of the serum factors which caused increase of PMN CL is HIV or HIV compounds.

Mononuclear cells from HIV-infected patients produce factors which enhance functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils from healthy subjects.

The influence of mononuclear cell supernatants (MNCS) from nine healthy donors and 35 HIV-infected patients (17 with lymphoadenopathy syndrome (LAS), 15 with ARC and three with AIDS) on functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) from healthy donors was investigated. MNC after short-term cultivation (24 h) produced factors which enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) and chemotaxis of PMN. This augmentation did not depend on stimulation of MNC by mitogens (lipopolysaccharide Escherichia coli (LPS) and concanavalin A (Con A)) or on activation of PMN by FMLP. After 48 h of cultivation only MNC stimulated by LPS produced these factors. MNCS from HIV-infected patients provoked a more pronounced augmentation of PMN CL compared with MNCS from healthy subjects. This enhancement was observed in patients at all stages of infection, but was more pronounced in patients with LAS. MNCS impact on PMN CL was not connected with proliferative activity of MNC but was correlated with the level of CD4 cells. It was shown that removal of adherent cells from MNC fraction resulted in decreased MNCS impact. Treatment of MNCS by antibody to IL-1 beta, IL-8, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) did not decrease MNCS impact on PMN CL.

[The prostaglandin and cyclic nucleotide levels in the organs of mice with experimental anthrax intoxication]. / Uroven' prostaglandinov i tsiklicheskikh nukleotidov v organakh myshei pri éksperimental'noi sibireiazvennoi intoksikatsii.

In this work the influence of Bacillus anthracis toxin, introduced intraperitoneally in a dose of LD100, on the content of prostaglandins E and F2 alpha, 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha, thromboxane, cAMP and cGMP in the lungs, heart, liver and spleen of BALB/c mice in the time course of experimental intoxication has been studied. The concentration and proportion of prostaglandins and cyclic nucleotides have been shown to undergo-sharp changes in all organs under study in the process of intoxication. The level and proportion of prostaglandins in the lungs ensures the development of vaso- and bronchodilatation processes even at early stages of the action of the toxin. B. anthracis toxin sharply increases the content of cGMP in the organs under study and cAMP in the liver. The activating effect on the adenylate cyclase system of tissue cells is not linked with the action of the edematous factor of the toxin. The role of cyclic nucleotides and prostaglandins in the development of pulmonary edema in intoxication with B. anthracis toxin is discussed.

[Prostaglandins and cyclic nucleotides in the dynamic development of an experimental poisoning syndrome caused by Yersinia pestis lipopolysaccharide]. / Prostaglandiny i tsiklicheskie nukleotidy v dinamike razvitiia éksperimental'nogo sindroma intoksikatsii, vyzvaemogo lipopolisakhanidom Yersinia pestis.

This work deals with the influence of Y. pestis lipopolysaccharide (LPS), introduced intraperitoneally in a dose of 2 LD50, on the content of prostaglandins (PG), such as PGE, PGF2 alpha and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, thromboxane, cAMP and cGMP in the liver, lungs and blood plasma of guinea pigs in the process of the development of experimental intoxication. The content of thromboxane in blood plasma increased 2.4-fold in 2 hours after intoxication and remained elevated for as long as 5 hours. Other parameters of blood plasma remained unchanged. The data obtained in this investigation indicate that thromboxane, known as a regulator of thrombogenesis, may induce early disturbances in microcirculation. A change in the content of PG was shown to occur in pulmonary tissue 2 and 5 hours after the beginning of intoxication. The content of PG in liver tissue was found to occur at a later period of the toxic action. The concentration of cyclic nucleotides (CN) in the tissues under study sharply increased even at the initial stage of the development of shock in guinea pigs. The effect of LPS on the metabolism of PG and CN, revealed in this investigation, resembles the effect produced by the thermostable fraction of "mouse" toxin.

[Effect of bacterial toxins on microcirculation (experimental research)]. / Vliianie bakterial'nykh toksinov na mikrogemotsirkuliatsiiu (éksperimental'noe issledovanie).

Histological and biomicroscopic methods were used to study the effects of toxic lemic and meningococcal microbial fractions on mesenteric blood microcirculation in rats. Aggregation ability of red blood cells and thrombocytes was investigated. The sublethal dose of meningococcal toxins was shown to induce marked impairment in the blood microcirculation 30 minutes after intravenous administration. The lethal dose of lemic toxins manifests itself later (in 2-4 hours). Meningococcal toxins are characterized by the increase in the aggregation ability of erythrocytes and thrombocytes in initial observation periods; lemic toxins increase the thrombocyte aggregation and produce almost no effect on erythrocyte aggregation.