[Implications of oxidative stress in senescence]. / Implicatii ale stresului oxidativ în senescenta.

After a short review of the literature concerning the paradox of oxygen and the participation of the oxidative stress created by the prevalence of its reactive radical species over the antioxidant enzymes, the main experimental arguments favoring the hypothesis of the implication of free radicals in senescence will be exposed. The amplification of degrading processes of lipid peroxidation and altering of the protein thiol groups in the presence of reactive oxygen species will be outlined. Both the aging of mitochondria due to the alteration of the electron transport chain and the oxidative attack on the mitochondrial DNA and the activation of the apoptosis as programmed cell death phenomenon in the presence of free radicals of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon will be given a particular interest. Finally, the implication of radical species in the production of some cardiovascular degenerative diseases of elderly patients will be discussed, together with the protective role of antioxidant compounds and diet, as factors that confine the progressive degradation of the senescent human body.

Research concerning the radioprotective and immunostimulating effects of deuterium-depleted water.

Mice fed for 15 days with Deuterium-Depleted Water (30 ppm deuterium) had a statistically significant increased survival rate compared with control groups fed with normal distilled water (150 ppm deuterium), after 8.5 Gy irradiation (61% survival in the test group versus 25% in the control group). The hematological picture showed that normal WBC, RBC and platelet counts were maintained in the test groups. Immunological parameters (serum opsonic and bactericidal capacity, bactericidal capacity of the peritoneal macrophages) showed a marked increase in the test groups compared to a severe decrease in the control groups. Auxiliary tests using chemical radiomimetics (hydrochloric embihine) and immunosuppressors (cyclophosphamide) showed a strong protective effect of deuterium-depleted water against the decrease of the leukocyte counts and other immunologic parameters. In conditions of experimental inflammation induced with subcutaneous-implanted pellets, deuterium-depleted water feeding resulted in a statistically significant increase of the inflammatory response, demonstrated by increased percentages of PMN and lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and the increased phagocytic capacity of the peripheral blood PMN. Experimental infections induced with K. pneumoniae 506 and S. pneumoniae 558 in mice irradiated or treated with cyclophosphamide showed increased, non-specific immunity parameters. All results show a marked intensification of the immune defenses and increased proliferation of the peripheral blood cells, probably accounting for the radioprotective effects.

Preliminary research on possible relationship of NO with agmatine at the vascular level.

The comparative study of the vascular effects of agmatine and L-arginine as physiological precursors of NO indicated the following: When administered intravenously, both vasoactive substances produced a decrease of the systemic blood pressure in rats and rabbits, diminished in the case of agmatine and suppressed in that of arginine by the previous administration of L-NAME. Myorelaxing vascular effects were obtained in isolated thoracic aorta rings, precontracted with phenylephrine and noradrenaline. Endothelium removal suppressed the myorelaxing properties of L-arginine, without affecting the effects of agmatine, both before and after administration of L-NAME or yohimbine. The persistence of the relaxing effects of agmatine after NOS and guanylate-cyclase inhibition with methylene blue excludes the participation of NO and cGMP in their occurrence. The enhancement of agmatine myorelaxation by moxonidine pleads for the stimulation of imidazoline receptors.

Modulating the expression of some biological membrane glycoconjugates by a Nocardia opaca fraction.

By some hemagglutination (HA) studies it was proved that NLD (the lysozyme digest fraction of Nocardia opaca) interacts with the Sendai virus envelope glycoproteic receptors, but not with those of the Beijing 353/89 H3N2) Influenza virus. Very likely the inhibition is due to the presence of some GAL lectins in NLD: The erythrocytes agglutinability (by the Sendai virus and by the Beijing 353/89 H3N2) Influenza virus is enhanced by their incubation with galactose.

[The detection of human papillomaviruses in histological preparations by using dot-blot hybridization]. / Détection des papillomavirus humains sur des préparations histologiques à l'aide de l'hybridation dot-blot.

The 56 tissue samples were obtained from female patients with anogenital tumors, benign or malign, subsequently confirmed through pathomorphological analysis. The investigations were aimed at the discovering of HPV presence using hybridization techniques with biotinylated molecular probes and monitorisation through enzymatic reaction. The presence of ADN types 11, 16 and 18 was detected on about 52% of all the cases; the ADN HPV incidence was 57% among the patients with a neoplasm and/or cervix uteri papillomatosis diagnosis.

Cationic anticancer drugs and their modes of action.

This report focuses on two groups of cationic cancerostatics, anthracycline antibiotics and 1,4-benzoquinone-guanylhydrazone-thiosemicarbazone (ambazone), lining up biophysical and biochemical effects on the level of membranes and membrane constituents. The interaction of both drugs with multilamellar liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine used as a simple model membrane system could be ensured by means of steady state and nanosecond time-resolved fluorometric investigations. The biochemical effect on membranes is underlined by the inhibition of the neuraminidase activity of the Sendai virus, modification of the CAMP phosphodiesterase activity of leukemia L 1210 cells of mice and reduction of the lymphocyte blast transformation.

[Research conducted at the Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology of Bucharest in the area of nucleic acids and genetic engineering]. / Recherches conduites à l'Institut de Virologie "Stefan S. Nicolau" de Bucarest dans le domaine des acides nucléiques et du génie génétique.

A brief review is done of some of the most important studies realised by the "Stefan S. Nicolau" Institute researchers in the field of nucleic acids. It is worth mentioning among these the investigations about interactions between nucleic acids and some biologically active substances, the recombinant DNA, as well as the most recent works on DNA-DNA hybridization in the avidine-biotine system.

[The effects of complex platinum compounds on the neuraminidase activity of the Sendai virus]. / Effets de quelques composés complexes du platine sur l'activité de la neuraminidase du virus Sendai.

The effect of di- and tetravalent cis-diaminoplatinum chlorides on Sendai virus envelop HN glycoprotein was investigated. The partial inhibition of neuraminidase activity was greater in the case of the divalent platinum complex derivative.

[The protector effect of ribosomal preparations against experimental influenza infection in mice]. / Effet protecteur de quelques préparations ribosomales contre l'infection expérimentale à virus de la grippe chez la souris.

A study was conducted on the protective effect of some ribosomal preparations, isolated from chorionic-allantoic membranes of chicken embryos, infected or not with parainfluenza (Sendai) or influenza (AoPR8) virus, in mice experimentally inoculated with influenza virus strain AoPR8 adapted to the mouse. Results showed that the tested preparation, containing ribosomes and polysomes isolated from chorio-allantoic membranes of Sendai virus inoculated chicken embryos, ensure the mice complete protection against AoPR8 virus, if administrated before the control infection.

[Adaptation of the avidin-biotin system for identifying and quantifying Sendai virus antigens]. / Adaptation du système avidine-biotine en vue de l'identification et du dosage des antigènes du virus Sendaï.

The avidin-biotin system was adapted in view of the identification and dosage of the Sendai parainfluenza virus and of its antigens, using the method of double antibodies (biotinylated and nonbiotinylated) in ELISA type tests.

[Study of the encapsulation and transport of several proteins to different organs by means of liposomal type particles of viral origin]. / Recherches sur l'encapsulation et le transport de quelques protéines vers différents organes par l'intermédiaire de particules du type liposomal d'origine virale.

Liposomal particles may be more efficiently incorporated by cells through mechanisms still incompletely elucidated. This property allowed to use them as a vehicle for macromolecules. Research was conducted to obtain liposomal type particles of viral origin charged with various proteins (bovine serum albumin, ovalbumin, ribosomes, human 125I-immunoglobulin G) and to establish the distribution of proteins encapsulated in viral envelopes among various organs after inoculation to laboratory animals.

[Demonstration of viral proteins by silver staining]. / Mise en évidence des protéines virales à l'aide de la coloration par l'argent.

Investigations were conducted to establish the optimal conditions for silver staining of polypeptides separated by polyacryle-amide gel electrophoresis. The thickness of the gel layer was of 1.5 mm. The experiments showed that the modified Hankeshover and Dernick's technique (4) (replacement of the fixative for the electrophoretically separated polypeptides and extension of the bleaching by Farmer's reagent time) had the best sensitivity and reproducibility. This technique can be performed also on polyacryle-amide gel preparations already stained by the Coomassie Brilliant Blue method. To check the efficiency of this silver staining technique, the authors used it to detect the Sendai virus and B hepatitis virus surface antigen polypeptides.

Some physico-chemical and biological properties of egg-Sendai virus with altered haemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein.

Some physico-chemical and biological properties of egg-cultivated Sendai (egg-Sendai) virus particles with altered haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein were studied. These particles were obtained accidentally from purified egg-Sendai virus stored at +4 degrees C. Egg-Sendai with altered HN protein was not infectious for cultured cells, but could still infect embryonated eggs. Though egg-Sendai virus with altered HN protein and glycoproteins had no haemagglutination activity, it unexpectedly possessed a relatively high neuraminidase (NA) activity representing about 70% of the activity of normal particles. Since polyacrylamide gel and rocket immunoelectrophoresis indicated that the altered particles contained only F protein, possibly the native HN was converted into a molecule of the same molecular mass as F protein.

Effect of some anthracycline antibiotics on the neuraminidase activity of Sendai virus and its isolated glycoproteins.

Anthracycline antibiotics violamycin BI (VBI) and adriamycin (Adr) strongly inhibited the neuraminidase (NA) activity of Sendai virus and of its isolated glycoproteins, occurring either in solution or associated in liposome-like particles. NA did not exhibit the classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics: the plot of reaction velocity versus substrate concentration was sigmoidal, while Hill's plotting indicated that the enzyme has at least two binding sites for the substrate. The reaction kinetics obtained suggested that Sendai virus NA acts as an allosteric enzyme, when its material support, the HN is located on the virus surface. The inhibitory effect of the anthracycline antibiotics in question on the NA activity seemed to be similar to that of negative effectors.

Research in the field of nucleic acids performed in the "Stefan S. Nicolau" Institute of Virology.

A review is made of the research in the field of nucleic acids performed in the "Stefan S. Nicolau" Institute of Virology. The results obtained as regards the infectivity of viral nucleic acids, the oncogenic capacity of nucleic acids extracted from tumors, the isolation, characterization, physicochemical and biological activity of viral and cellular nucleic acids, as well as some achievements in recombinant DNA technology, are briefly presented.

Investigations in the field of recombinant DNA technology performed in the "Stefan S. Nicolau" Institute of Virology.

A brief review is provided of the investigations in the field of recombinant DNA technology started in 1979 in the Central Laboratory for Nucleic Acids within the "Stefan S. Nicolau" Institute of Virology. The research efforts have been focused on the following main objectives: optimization of vector extraction, isolation and purification of restriction enzymes and of DNA ligase T4, transformation and transfection experiments, construction of recombinant DNA.

Effect of biologically active compounds (anthracyclines and ethidium bromide) on some membrane-mediated processes in the course of viral infection. Investigations on a prokaryotic (bacteriophage-bacterium) system.

Anthracycline antibiotics--violamycin B1 and adriamycin--have an obvious effect on the efficiency of phage lambda L47.1 DNA transfection into E. coli Q358 cells. Treatment with anthracyclines of either phage DNA or bacterial cells results in a marked decrease in the number of transfectants per microgram DNA. On the other hand, adsorption of phage lambda gt WES to E. coli LE392 is considerably modified by exposure to anthracyclines of either the phage or the host cells.

Investigation of the effect of cellular and viral nucleic acids against experimental influenza virus A/PR8/34 (H1N1) infection in mice.

Treatment of mice with different cellular nucleic acids prior to inoculation of influenza virus A/PR8/34 (H1N1) conferred--in some cases--a nonspecific protection against the experimental infection. The optimal amount of nucleic acid was 400 micrograms/mouse, irrespective of the origin or type of the macromolecule.

Investigation of the effect of cellular and viral nucleic acids on certain virus infections. Note 2. Effect of nucleic acids on virus multiplication in cell cultures.

Treatment of cell cultures with different natural nucleic acids prior to inoculation of herpes simplex virus type 1 led in certain cases to an obvious reduction in infectant titer. The reduction was maximum at a dose of 50 micrograms nucleic acid/culture tube and it was not dependent on the nature of the nucleic acid preparation. The antiviral effect of nucleic acids was enhanced by complexation with intercalation agents such as ethidium bromide or violamycin BI. No detectable amounts of interferon could be made evident in cell cultures treated with chromosomal DNA under conditions leading to a reduction by 1.75 log in infectant titer.

The effect of violamycin BI on different biological systems. Note I. The action of violamycin BI on cell cultures infected or not with herpes simplex virus type 1.

The effect of violamycin BI (VBI) was investigated in different cell substrates, infected or not with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), strains VR3 and Rapp-1. The cytotoxic dose of VBI was established in calf kidney and human embryo cell cultures. Low drug concentrations induced moderate cytotoxic changes, allowing the study of the cells for 4-6 days. The action of VBI on HSV-1 was evident mostly in the early phases of the virus multiplication cycle. The antiviral effect of VBI was due both to the direct action of the drug on HSV and to its interaction with the nucleic acids of the host cells supporting HSV multiplication in their nuclei.