[The spontaneous variability of populations of fungal strains in the genus Aspergillus--producers of allergen-active substances]. / Spontannaia izmenchivost' populiatsii shtammov gribov roda Aspergillus--produtsentov allergenoaktivnykh veshchestv.

The method of genetic selection has been used for obtaining the fungal cultures of Aspergillus strains, producers of allergen-active substances. The natural variability of populations of A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. clavatus strains as regards the intensity of conidia germination has been studied. These fungal species are the etiological agents of mycotic lesions of the body in cases of immunodeficiency. As the result of this study, 3 Aspergillus species, stable as regards the intensity of conidia germination, have been selected. The selected Aspergillus producer strains are successfully used for obtained allergen-active substances. The isolated allergen are used for the specific diagnostics of mold mycosis and mycogenic allergy.

[Isolation and properties of superoxide dismutase from human blood plasma]. / Vydelenie i svoistva superoksiddismutazy plazmy krovi cheloveka.

A procedure for purification of superoxide dismutase (SOD) from human blood plasma has been developed, which includes gel filtration on Ultrogels AcA-34 and AcA-44 (LKB, Sweden). The protein purified from blood plasma is a glycoprotein which is thermostable at 70-80 degrees C. The molecular mass of the protein determined immediately after gel filtration is approximately 147,000 daltons. A comparative analysis of effects on the SOD activity of plasma and erythrocytes of compounds capable of forming chelating complexes with metals within the enzyme active center has been carried out. The purified enzyme differs by its physico-chemical characteristics from cytosolic Cu,Zn-SOD and pertains to a new class of SOD, the so-called extracellular SOD, detected in some biological fluids.

Molecular heterogeneity of plasma superoxide dismutase.

A method was worked out that helped us to isolate superoxide dismutase (SOD) from human blood plasma. The change of enzyme's activity was shown depending on the period of SOD storage. Changes in activity were observed in storing protein after gel filtration. The activity of purified enzyme was half as much after 24 h storage and remained constant for a long period of time (5 mo). The change of SOD activity was found to be connected with a modification of its structure. The storage of enzyme's solution during 3 1/2 mo is accompanied by the lowering of protein molecular mass from 53,000 Da to 34,000 Da. The inhibitors of proteinases--phenyl-methylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and alpha 2-macroglobulin--showed no protective effects on purified SOD. That's why it was possible to say that the lowering of protein molecular mass didn't connect with a specific proteolysis. An oxidative modification of SOD structure is under discussion now. The modification is most probably caused by oxidative destruction of aminoacid residues that are located outside the protein active centre.

[The use of immunoenzyme analysis in the diagnosis of candidiasis in patients with different variants of hemoblastosis]. / Primenenie immunofermentnogo analiza v diagnostike kandidoza u bol'nykh razlichnymi variantami gemoblastozov.

A total of 84 blood sera taken from patients with tumors of the hematopoietic system, among them 63 blood sera from patients with candidiasis and 21 blood sera from patients without symptoms of Candida infection have been tested in the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). This assay has been found suitable for the diagnosis of the visceral forms of candidiasis in patients with acute leukemia and hematosarcoma. EIA has proved to be an inadequate method for the detection of Candida infection in chronic lympholeukemia patients, as well as in patients with acute leukemia and hematosarcoma, suffering from such local forms of candidiasis as candidiasis of the oral cavity.

[Characteristics of genotoxic and carcinogenic action of metals]. / Osobennosti genotoksicheskogo i kantserogennogo deistviia metallov.

The data on carcinogenic activity of certain metals and their compounds to humans and experimental animals are reviewed. Cellular uptake and intracellular distribution of metal compounds, metal-induced genotoxicity in different short-term tests are described. Specific lesions of DNA produced by carcinogenic metals, the influence of metal ions on the cell growth, DNA replication and DNA repair involved in mutagenesis and oncogenesis are under discussion. Mechanisms of metal carcinogenesis are studied to a less extent as compared with organic carcinogenesis.

[Modifications to the surface of T-lymphocytes in chronic candidiasis of the skin and mucous membranes]. / Modifikatsii poverkhnosti T-limfotsitov pri khronicheskom kandidoze kozhi i slizistykh obolochek.

27 patients with chronic candidiasis of the skin and mucous membranes have been examined with a view to study the expression of E-receptors and its changes after the incubation of T-lymphocytes with theophylline, levamisole, thymaline and Candida albicans antigen. This study has revealed that, in comparison with healthy persons, most patients show decreased expression of E-receptors, and the character of their changes after incubation with the above-mentioned preparations is essentially different. The deviations revealed in this study have been regarded as the modification of T-cell membranes, which is seemingly one of the reasons of the weak competence of T-cells. In its turn, the expression of E-receptors may be considered as an indicator of the influence of different factors on T-lymphocytes. Substances altering the level of cyclic nucleotides in the cell, the antigenic fractions of the fungal causative agent, the suppression or blocking the action of thymic hormone-like substances may serve as such factors.

[Effect of exogenous zinc deficiency on the duration of skin graft functioning]. / Vliianie ékzogennogo defitsita tsinka na dlitel'nost' funktsionirovaniia transplantatov kozhi.

The influence of alimentary zinc deficiency on duration of skin allograft functioning was studied in experiments on guinea pigs. Feeding the animals with a ration deprived of zinc results in significant prolongation of the skin graft functioning period. Thus, in the test group animals that received the ration deprived of zinc the mean time of the graft functioning comprised 24.0 +/- 1.4 days, while in the guinea pigs of the control group that were fed with full value ration, this parameter was 9.9 +/- 0.42 days. At the same time the number of circulating lymphocytes was decreased and their capacity for spontaneous rosette-formation was suppressed in the peripheral blood of the test group animals, as well as manifest inhibition of zinc-dependent enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, carbonic anhydrase) in the blood was recorded. Zinc deficiency in the ration induces significant diminution of this trace element content in the muscles, bones, liver, skin and blood, under conditions of its daily negative balance in the body.

[Dynamics of the selenium content and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity in mice and rats with transplantable tumors]. / Dinamika soderzhaniia selena i aktivnosti selenozavisimoi glutationperoksidazy u myshei i krys s perevivaemymi opukholiami.

Guerin's adenocarcinoma in rats and Ehrlich ascites tumor in mice involved loss of selenium in visceral organs matched by its simultaneous accumulation in tumor tissue. The activity of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase was found to increase. The said changes seem to be due to antioxidizing properties of selenium.

[Effect of sodium selenite on the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) during hepatocarcinogenesis]. / Vliianie selenita natriia na aktivnost' antioksidantnykh fermentov (superoksiddismutazy, gliutationperoksidazy) pri gepatokantserogeneze.

Influence of sodium selenite on functioning of the systems of intracellular generation and detoxication of active oxygen compounds in hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine has been studied in experiments on rats. It has been shown that the duration of latent period initiated by ions of Fe2+ chemiluminescence of homogenate of the liver rather objectively reflects the state of the functioning of the systems in charge of the formation and utilization of free radicals of oxygen in a cell. It is supposed that one of the mechanisms of anticarcinogenic action of selenium is connected with its antioxidant functions in the organism and consists in the increase of the activity of superoxide dismutation and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidases, providing a reliable level of enzymatic protection of normal cells from disturbing action of "active oxygen".

[Effect of selenium on the system of superoxide anion radical formation and detoxication in hepatocarcinogenesis]. / Vliianie selena na sostoianie sistemy obrazovaniia i detoksikatsii superoksidnykh anion-radikalov pri gepatokantserogeneze.

It is established that the introduction of selenium in combination with diethylnitrosamine into rat organisms has a preventive influence on the tumour formation. The intensity of superoxide radicals formation by the liver cell microsomes in this case decreases, while the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase I, glutathione reductase and concentration of selenium in microsomes increases. The anticarcinogenic action of selenium is considered as a result of an increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase I and glutathione reductase. This increase induces detoxication of superoxide radicals forming in considerable amounts in rat liver cells under the effect of carcinogen.

[Effect of trace element deficiency on metalloenzyme activity and the growth of Guerin carcinoma]. / Vliianie defitsita mikroélementov na aktivnost' metallofermentov i rost kartsinomy Gerena.

The selective deficiency of manganese, copper, zinc and silicon in the diet of animals essentially decreases the content of the corresponding element in the organism tissues and disturbs the activity of some blood metalloenzymes in tumour-carrying animals. The tumour tissue retains the metals under study in higher amounts. When rats are given the diet with copper deficiency, there are no essential changes in the growth of Guerin carcinoma, whereas deficiency of manganese, silicon and particularly in zinc in the animal diet causes an inhibition of its growth. The tumour growth is shown possible to be affected by the diet deficient in trace elements, silicon and zinc in particular.