Changes in the Morphological and Immunological Characteristics of Mel Ibr Melanoma Cells in Response to Chicken Embryo Extract.

Exposure of Mel Ibr human melanoma cells to chicken embryo extract resulted in the appearance of a subclone with morphological and growth characteristics similar to those of embryonic stem cells. The subclone differed from the parental line cells by a sharply reduced percentage of HLA-DR(+) and CD54(+) cells, a significantly elevated percentage of CD63(+) cells, and appearance of CD133(+) and Oct-4A(+) cells. Hence, the subclone cells were characterized by the same features as stem tumor cells and could be responsible for further progress of tumor growth.

Integrins LFA-1 and Mac-1 and cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 in high-cancer mice under the influence of phytoadaptogen.

The expression of leukocyte integrins LFA-1 and Mac-1 and cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 was studied in mice predisposed to spontaneous hepatocarcinomas. The efficacy of a phytoadaptogen in correcting these parameters was evaluated. The role of adhesive interactions between immune cells and target cells in the recovery of antitumor regulatory mechanisms was estimated.

Prospects of using phytoadaptogen in the treatment of diffuse stomach cancer.

The efficiency of treatment of diffuse stomach cancer can be improved by using a complex phytoadaptogen. In groups receiving phytoadaptogen, the level of tumor marker CA 19-9 decreased and the mean life span of patients increased by 2.5 times. The drug exhibited immunomodulating (including interferonogenic and adhesiogenic), antioxidant, and hormone-modulating effects.

Study of manganese bacteriopheophorbide as a potential contrast agent for magnetic resonance tomography.

The use of manganese bacteriopheophorbide characterized by a high relaxation capacity and selectively accumulating in the tumor as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance tomography significantly improves tumor contrasting against the background of normal tissues. The pharmacokinetics and selectivity of accumulation were studied by diffuse reflection spectroscopy.

Hydroxyaluminium tetra-3-phenylthiophthalocyanine is a new effective photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy and fluorescent diagnosis.

We studied the possibility of using liposomal forms of hydroxyaluminium tetra-3-phenylthiophthalocyanine as a near infrared band photosensitizer. Experiments on mice with solid Ehrlich tumor and subcutaneously transplanted P-388 leukemia revealed high selectivity of accumulation of the photosensitizer in tumors in comparison with normal tissues and high photodynamic activity of the preparation. This photosensitizer can be used as the basis for creating an effective preparation for photodynamic therapy and fluorescent diagnosis.

New approach to vital analysis of functional activity in ABC transporters (markers for multidrug resistance) in solid tumors by the method of flow cytofluorometry.

We developed and described a new approach to vital analysis of functional activity of multidrug resistance markers (ABC transporters) in intact biopsy specimens from human solid tumors by the method of flow cytofluorometry. The algorithm of the study underwent revision, and the cell suspension was obtained in the final stage. Intensification of intracellular doxorubicin accumulation (fluorescence) and increase in the number of fluorescent cells and total fluorescence of doxorubicin-accumulating cells produced by ABC transporter inhibitor sodium azide served as the criteria of expression of these transporters in tumor tissue. Informative value of changes in various parameters of doxorubicin fluorescence is discussed. The increase in the count of fluorescent cells in the suspension of tumors cells after treatment with the inhibitor indicates the presence of tumor cells absolutely resistant to this preparation. The proposed method is technically simple, suitable for structurally different tumors, requires small amounts of the biopsy material and, therefore, can be used for routine analysis. The results of our analysis and spectrofluorometric assay of ABC transporters agree very closely, which suggest that this method is adequate for the purpose.

Effect of the triterpenoid miliacin on the sensitivity of lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.

We studied the effect of plant triterpenoid miliacin on dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in thymocytes and splenocytes. Miliacin produced a protective effect on splenocytes by decreasing the degree of DNA fragmentation due to blockade of the cascade cell death distally to the intramembrane phosphatidylserine translocation.

Fas (APO-1/CD95) Antigen: New Activation Marker for Evaluation of the Immune Status.

Using mAb ICO-160, we have studied Fas (APO-1/CD95) antigen expression on blood lymphocytes from healthy women, pregnant women and patients with chronic adnexitis, uterin myoma, ovarian cyst, ovarian and uterin cancer. In peripheral blood from healthy women Fas antigen was detected on 23.42 +/- 2.9% of lymphocytes. The healthy donors were divided in two different subgroups with low and high Fas expression. Expression of Fas antigen on lymphocytes was elevated (high expression subgroup) in all the groups of investigated patients, excepting the ovarian cancer ones with Fas expression similar to that in healthy donors. Comparison of expression of other differentiation antigens between healthy donors and the above groups of patients elucidated in the patients a kind of pronounced imbalance of the immune status and activation of the immune system. Additionally, in patients with ovarian cancer the imbalance of the immune status was reflected as altered ratio between helper and suppressor cells (the ratio was 0.73 in contrast to that 1.08 in group of healthy donors). As follows from the summarized results of all the trials, Fas antigen expression correlated with expression of other activation antigens as CD71 and CD25 (r = 0.05 and r = 0.52, respectively). Consequently, Fas (APO-1/CD95) antigen may be considered as the activation antigen and its expression may be used for assessing the immune status.