[Accumulation of 238, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am in Boar Organs and Tissues on the Territory of the Belarusian Part of the ChNPP Exclusion Zone].

The paper is devoted to determination of α-emitting radionuclides of 238, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am in liver, lungs, muscular and bone tissues of the boars on the territory of the Belarusian part of the ChNPP exclusion zone. It is shown that the content of Pu and Am isotopes in boar organs and tissues decreases in the following order: liver > bone tissues > lungs ≥ muscular tissues. The results received allow evaluation of penetration of 238, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am through the biological chain "soil-ration-organs and tissues". It is calculated that 1.7% of a boar's ration falls on the soil getting into the stomach with food. Translocation and accumulation coefficients characterizing the transfer of radionuclides through the chain "soil-vegetation-organs and tissues" were calculated. The conclusion about accumulation of Pu in the boar's body is made.

Photodynamic therapy of experimental sarcoma M-1 with boronated chlorine as a photosensitizer.

Using rat model of experimental sarcoma M-1 we studied the efficacy of photodynamic therapy with boronated chlorine as a photosensitizer in doses of 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/ kg body weight. Laser irradiation was performed at energy densities of 150, 300 J/cm(2) and power density of 0.25 and 0.42 W/cm(2). Treatment efficacy was evaluated by the percentage of animals with complete tumor regression, percentage of tumor recurrence and, in cases of its growth, by tumor growth coefficient. The efficacy of photodynamic therapy depended on the dose of boronated chlorine and parameters of the laser irradiation. Optimal conditions were the dose of 2.5 mg/kg at laser energy density of 300 J/cm(2) and power density of 0.42 W/cm(2) and a dose of 5.0 mg/kg at 150 J/cm(2) and 0.25 W/cm(2).

Boronated derivatives of chlorin e(6) and fluoride-containing porphyrins as penetrating anions: a study using bilayer lipid membranes.

Boronated derivatives of porphyrins are studied extensively as promising compounds for boron-neutron capture therapy and photodynamic therapy. Understanding of the mechanism of their permeation across cell membranes is a key step in screening for the most efficient compounds. In the present work, we studied the ability of boronated derivatives of chlorin e(6) and porphyrins, which are mono-, di-, and tetra-anions, to permeate through planar bilayer lipid membranes (BLM). The translocation rate constants through the hydrophobic part of the lipid bilayer were estimated for monocarborane and its conjugate with chlorin e(6) by the method of electrical current relaxation. They were similar, 6.6 and 6.8 sec(-1), respectively. Conjugates of porphyrins carrying two and four carborane groups were shown to permeate efficiently through a BLM although they carry two charges and four charges, respectively. The rate of permeation of the tetraanion estimated by the BLM current had superlinear dependence on the BLM voltage. Because the resting potential of most mammalian cells is negative inside, it can be concluded that the presence of negatively-charged boronated groups in compounds should hinder the accumulation of the porphyrins in cells.

[Analysis of K-ras, BRCA1/2, CHEK2 mutations and microsatellite markers (loss of heterozygosity at 9p, 17p and 18q) in sporadic pancreas adenocarcinomas].

The purpose of this study was to investigate informativety and clinical significance of most frequent somatic alterations in K-ras, TP53, CDKN2A, MADH4 and more uncommon mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2 genes, which arise on preinvasive stage in sporadic pancreatic adenocarcinomas (PA), in Russian patients. We examined surgically resected and manually microdissected primary PA tissue samples and samples of normal pancreatic tissue for 37 individuals. K-ras mutations in codon 12 were found in 24 tumors (0.65) and none of normal tissue samples. No mutations were detected in BRCA1(185delAG, 300T > G, 4153delA, 4158A > G,5382insC), BRCA2 (695insT, 6174delT) and CHEK2 (1100delC) genes. Informativety for allelic loss of three tumor suppressor genes studied had not statistically significant differences: 60% - for TP53 (GDB186817) and CDKN2A (D9S974 + D9S162); and 65.7% - for MADH4 (D18S363 + D18S474) (t = 0.48). Maximal frequency of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was observed for CDKN2A - 0.95. For TP53 and MADH4 it was 0.62 and 0.70 respectively. The tumors included 80% cases showing LOH on different chromosomal loci. The combination of K-ras mutations (c.12) and LOH at 9p, 17p and 18q resulted in a high informativety of selected molecular markers: 85.7%. Instability of microsatellites was found only in 9% of PA.

[The study of therapeutic effect of synthetic bradykinin "gene" contained in retrovirus vector on spontaneously hypertensive rats].

Administration of DNA plasmid pPS-3-neo (brd) with synthetic bradykinin " gene " to 2-days old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) leads to 2 weeks delay in development of arterial hypertension. Lowering of SBP and positive results of PCR DNA of various organs observed in synthetic bradykinin " gene " transgenic SHR but not in control SHR confirm therapeutic effect of synthetic bradykinin " gene " . This data indicate one of possible ways of gene therapy of arterial hypertension as well as other pathological states by introduction of transgene directly into genome of the organism.

[The radioactive contamination dynamics of water body ecosystems of different types in the Chernobyl atomic station alienation zone in Belarus].

The long-term (1986-2005) gamma-activity dynamics in dominating zoobenthos species and the bottom sediments in the inlet of Pripyat river and the non-flowing Perstok lake within the Chernobyl alienation zone was determined. Immediately after the accident (1986-1987) zoonehthos y-activity achieved the maximal values (up to 300-1100 kBq/kg) and after that began to decline steadily due to natural decay of man-caused radionuclides of "Chernobyl origin". Up to summer 2005 gastropod mollusks gamma-activity (Lymnaea stagnalis, Viviparus viviparus) approached to the natural level (less than 6 Bq/kg) in the inlet of Pripyat river, but it remained at the very high level up to 979-1638 Bq/kg in the Perstok lake. The positive correlation between gamma-activity of mollusks and bottom sediments has been established. In turn, the long-term variations of atmospheric precipitate amounts which wash down radionuclides from surrounding territories to water bodies and the amounts of annual flow of the Pripyat river as well as shoreline position changes in water bodies within the Chernobyl alienation zone influence on these values too.

The first carborane triflates: synthesis and reactivity of 1-trifluoromethanesulfonylmethyl- and 1,2-bis(trifluoromethanesulfonylmethyl)-o-carborane.

The first carborane triflates, namely, 1-trifluoromethanesulfonylmethyl-o-carborane (2) and 1,2-bis(trifluoromethanesulfonylmethyl)-o-carborane (7), were obtained in high yields in the reactions of 1-hydroxymethyl-o-carborane (1) or 1,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-o-carborane (6) with triflic anhydride (Tf2O) in CH2Cl2 in the presence of pyridine. When an excess of pyridine is employed, 1-o-carboranylmethylpyridinium triflate (3), which retains a closo-icosahedral structure, or a pyridinium salt (4) with a zwitterionic nido-dicarbaundecaborate anion are obtained from 1, while the nido compound 8 is formed from 6. The reaction of compound 2 or 7 with excess pyridine also gave 3 or 8, respectively. Compound 2 proved to be a convenient carboranylmethylating agent which reacts with nucleophiles (e.g., potassium phthalimide, PPh3 or KCN) to give the corresponding substitution products N-[(o-carboranyl-1-yl)methyl]phthalimide (9), o-carboranylmethylphosphonium salt 10, and 1-cyanomethyl-o-carborane (11). All compounds were characterized by 1H and 11B NMR spectroscopy. The structures of compounds 4, 7 and 8 were established by X-ray analysis.

[Different effect of the ''recombinant'' bradykinin on the contractile activity of cultured atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes]. / Razlichnoe vliianie "rekombinantnogo" bradikinina na sokrashchenie kul'tiviruemykh kardiomiotsitov predserdii i zheludochkov.

The physiological activity of the "recombinant" bradykinin expressed by retrovirus recombinant pPS-3-neo (brd) was tested on cultural atrial (aCMC) and ventricular (vCMC) cardiomyocytes in newborn rats. The "recombinant" bradykinin was shown to have a chronotropic effect on aCMC and an inotropic effect on vCMC. The effects are in line with the action of the synthetic bradykinin preparation at a concentration of around 10(-15) M. A pretreatment of CMC by parmidine, i.e. a bradykinin antagonist, blocked the effect of bradykinin. The contractive CMC activity in the cultural cell medium, transferred by pPS-3-neo without the bradykinin gene, was not different from the control value.

[Analysis of mutations in the RET proto-oncogene in patients with medullary thyroid tumor]. / Analiz mutatsii v protoonkogene RET u bol'nykh s medulliarnym rakom shchitovidnoi zhelezy.

The spectrum of mutations of the RET protooncogene was analyzed in Russian patients with inherited or sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Four RET exons (11, 13, 15, and 16) were subjected to molecular analysis, and mutations were revealed and identified in 47.4% (9/19) patients with sporadic MTC. In total, six mutations (including three new ones) were observed. The most common mutation affected codon 918 to cause substitution of methionine with threonine and accounted for 31.6% alleles. Analysis of exons 11 and 16 revealed four mutations in patients with inherited multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). Mutations were found in each patient. Thyroidectomy was performed in four asymptomatic carriers of RET mutations from three MET 2A families (in two families, affected relatives had bilateral pheochromocytoma). In two patients, analysis of the surgery material revealed MTC microfoci in both lobes of the thyroid gland. The results provide the ground for constructing a bank of genetic information on Russian MTC patients with the clinically verified diagnosis.

[Construction of chimeric tumor suppressor p53 resistant to the dominant-negative interaction with p53 mutants]. / Sozdanie khimernoi molekuly opukholevogo supressora p53, ustoichivoi k dominantno-negatvnym vzaimodeistviiam s mutantnymi formami belka p53.

A chimeric p53 cDNA was constructed so that the fragment coding for 39 residues of the chicken p53 tetramerization domain replaced the corresponding region of human p53. The chimeric cDNA substantially inhibited the colony-forming ability of transfected human and mouse cells, suggesting a suppressory potential for its product. The chimeric p53 activated promoters containing p53-responsive elements. In contrast to wild-type human p53, the chimeric p53 remained capable of transcription activation in the presence of dominant-negative mutant p53-His175. This makes the chimeric p53 a convenient model for elaborating gene therapy protocols for tumors with dominant-negative p53 forms. The chimeric p53 may be used to study the role of transdominance of p53 mutants in carcinogenesis and the interactions of p53 with related transcription factors (p73, p63).

Three novel mutations in the RET proto-oncogene.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) occurs as a sporadic tumor or in connection with inherited cancer syndromes of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 and familial MTC. Missense RET proto-oncogene mutations and small in-frame deletions are found in most of the cases. In a significant amount of sporadic MTC cases somatic mutation at codon 918 (exon 16), or at codons 609, 611, 618, 620 (exon 10), or codons 630, 634 (exon 11) appear. We report here on three new somatic cell missense mutations of the RET proto-oncogene associated with sporadic MTC. In one tumor mutation at codon 922 TCC(Ser)-->TTC(Phe) in exon 16 was found. In another tumor two mutations at codons 639 GCA(Ala)-->GGA(Gly) and 641 GCT(Ala)-->CGT(Arg) in the exon 11 were observed. Allele-specific PCR followed by sequencing demonstrated the presence of both mutations at the same allele.

[Molecular diagnosis of multiple type 2 endocrine neoplasia]. / Molekuliarnaia diagnostika mnozhestvennoi éndokrinnoi neoplazii tipa 2.

The paper reviews the data on the molecular structure of the protooncogene RET encoding for receptor-type protein kinase, on the mechanism of transformation of the normal protooncogene RET to a dominant transforming oncogene, and on RET mutations detected in patients with the MEN-2 syndrome. Moreover, it presents the authors' own findings. The familial medullary thyroid carcinoma burdened genealogy shows a new point mutation TCG(Ser)-->GCG(Ala) in codon 891, in the exon 15 of the protooncogene RET. This mutation was not detected in the chromosomes of healthy individuals. Analyzing the linkage with two known and two new polymorphic markers showed that there was a cisaggregation of informative polymorphic markers, phenotypic manifestation of the disease, and mutations in the genealogy in question. In the protooncogene RET, there were two new polymorphisms: G/A at position 24 in intron 14 and C/T in codon 836 (exon 14). The rate of the polymorphism encountered in codon 836 proved to be similar for the Russians and the Germans (0.96%), which was also seen for two earlier described polymorphisms in codon 691 (0.80 and 0.81, respectively) and in codon 904 (0.21 and 0.22). At the same time, there were statistically significant differences in the rates of intron 14 polymorphism (0.87 and 0.77, respectively). In a family having MEN 2, a proband displayed TGC-->CGC mutation in codon 634 of the gene RET in the heterozygous state. The mutation results in substitution of cysteine amino acid residue in the cysteine-rich extracellular domain of protein kinase encoded by the gene RET for arginine. The results of molecular analysis were used to confirm its clinical diagnosis and to indicate that effective care should be delivered in MEN 2a.

[A new inherited RET proto-oncogene mutation associated with familial medullary thyroid carcinoma and polymorphisms in adjacent regions]. / Novaia nasleduemaia mutatsiia protoonkogena RET, assotsiirovannaia s semeinym medulliarnym rakom shchitovidnoi zhelezy, i polimorfizmy v okruzhaiushchikh oblastiiakh.

A new point mutation, TCG(Ser)-->GCG(Ala) in codon 891, exon 15 of the RET protooncogene was revealed in two patients from a pedigree with familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC), but not in healthy persons. A linkage analysis with two well-known and two new intragene polymorphisms showed that informative polymorphic markers, the phenotypic expression of the disease, and the mutation are cosegregated in the studied pedigree. Two new polymorphisms, G/A at position-24 of intron 14 and C/T in codon 836 of exon 14, were found in the RET protooncogene. The frequencies of allele 1 of the polymorphic site in codon 836 were the same (0.96) in the Russian and German populations. This was also characteristic of two polymorphisms revealed earlier, namely, the sites in codons 691 (0.80 and 0.81, respectively) and 904 (0.21 and 0.22). However, the frequency of allele 1 of the polymorphisms in intron 14 differed significantly (0.87 and 0.77, respectively).

[Molecular genetic analysis of TUB18 and TUB20 intragenic polymorphism and various mutations of the CFTR gene in the Moscow region]. / Molekuliarno-geneticheskii analiz vnutrigennykh polimorfizmov TUB18 i TUB20 i nekotorykh mutatsii gena TRBM v Moskovskom regione.

Allelic frequencies of two intron polymorphisms in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene, TUB18 and TUB20, were estimated on chromosomes of 67 cystic fibrosis patients and on that of 37 healthy donors from Moscow and the Moscow oblast. Allele 2 of the TUB 18, and allele 1 of the TUB20 were 2.1 and 1.5 times more frequent on the non-delta F508 chromosomes of the cystic fibrosis patients than on chromosomes of healthy donors, i.e. these alleles were in linkage disequilibrium with the CFTR gene. Allele 1 of the TUB18 marker and allele 2 of the TUB20 marker demonstrated absolute linkage disequilibrium with the delta F508 mutation of the CFTR gene. The degree of association between the TUB18 and TUB20 intron polymorphisms and the GATT and T854T intragenic polymorphisms was analyzed. Of all 62 delta F508 chromosomes tested, 98.3% shared the 2-1-1-2 GATT- T854T-TUB18-TUB20 haplotype. Eight major (more frequent) GATT-T854T-TUB18-TUB20 haplotypes were found in 89.5% of normal, and in 97.9% of non-delta F508 chromosomes of cystic fibrosis patients from the Moscow region. Three of these major haplotypes, 2-1-1-2, 1-2-2-1, and 2-2-1-2, were respectively 2.5, 2, and 1.5 times more frequent on non-delta F508 cystic fibrosis chromosomes than on normal chromosomes. Data on screening for the G542X, N1303K, and 394delTT mutations of the CFTR gene, carried out on 134 chromosomes of cystic fibrosis patients from the Moscow region are presented. The frequencies of the G542X and 394delTT mutations were estimated as 1.5%, while the frequency of the N1303K mutation was 2.2%.

[Effect of morphine derivatives on the function of glucocorticoid receptors in shock]. / Vliianie proizvodnykh morfina na funktsiiu gliukokortikoidnykh retseptorov pri shoke.

The effects of opiate receptor agonists and antagonists on the function of glucocorticoid receptors in the hepatic cytosol were examined in male Wistar rats weighing 180-240 g. With the Scatchard analysis, in vitro experiments by using labelled ligands revealed that the pure opiate agonist morphine in the wide range of concentrations (0,01-10,0 mM) failed to affect the function Type II glucocorticoid receptors, though inhibited the function of Type III glucocorticoid receptors in the dose-dependent manner. Buprenorphine and diprenorphine depressed the function of Types II and III glucocorticoid receptors. Buterphanol, an opiate receptor antagonist-agonist, like naltrexone, an opiate receptor antagonist, decreased the function of Type III glucocorticoid receptors, but modulated that of Type II glucocorticoid receptors by lowering the association constant of the ligand-Type II glucocorticoid receptor complex, but by enhancing the density of Type II glucocorticoid receptors. In vivo studies established that butorphanol dose-dependently increased the density of Type II glucocorticoid receptors in the hepatic cytosol and elevating blood pressure in rat traumatic shock. Whether glucocorticoid receptors involve in the mechanism of the antishock effect of morphine derivatives is discussed in the paper.

[A new point mutation in the mitochondrial gene ND1, detected in a patient with type II diabetes]. / Novaia tochechnaia mutatsiia v mitokhondrial'nom gene ND1, obnaruzhennaia u bol'nogo diabetom tipa II.

A novel mutation in a mitochondrial gene was identified in a patient with type II diabetes mellitus. G-to-A transition was localized at the nt3316 position of gene ND1 and resulted in alanine threonine replacement at position 4 of mitochondrial NAD-H-dehydrogenase.