A case of HHV-8-associated HIV-negative primary effusion lymphoma in Moscow.

Primary effusion lymphoma is a rare tumor of B-cell derivation which is associated with human herpes virus type 8 (HHV-8) in 100% and with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in most of cases. The paper describes the first case in Russia of HIV(-) HHV-8(+) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)(+) primary effusion lymphoma in a male patient aged 56 years. The tumor was located in the pleural cavity. Interestingly, the patient was HIV-negative while having a positive tumor HHV-8 test. There are only 22 similar cases described worldwide.

[RT-PCR-based evaluation of the activity of human papilloma virus infection in relapsing papillomatosis of the larynx].

RT-PCR-based examination of papilloma samples obtained from patients with relapsing papillomatosis of the larynx showed an incidence rate of human papilloma virus (HPV) amounting to 89%. The viral load level of the studied samples, when measured by concurrent RT-PCR HPV, differed by more than 130 times. It made, in the untreated patient, 1.2 x 10(9) hormonal equivalents/ml, i.e. 13-fold higher versus the patient who received pathogenetic therapy. Thus, the approach in question provides for a possibility to monitor the activity of papilloma viral infection and to evaluate the efficiency of different variations of pathogenetic therapy because the "classic" variant of PCR-detection is not informative in the discussed case.

[Methylation of the putative tumor suppressor gene, RASSF1A, in primary cervical tumors]. / Metilirovanie predpolagaemogo gena-supressora RASSF1A v opukholiakh sheiki matki.

The methylation level of 13 CpG-dinucleotides in the promoter region of the putative tumor suppressor gene RASSF1A (3p21.31) was analyzed in HPV-positive squamous cell carcinomas of cervix using methyl-sensitive restriction endonuclease analysis followed by PCR. The methylation from 3 to 13 CpG-dinucleotides was observed in 64% (25/39) tumors, 22% (2/9) morphologically normal tissues adjacent to tumors (P = 0.0306) and in 2 from 3 leucocytes of peripheral blood of patients. The methylation of these CpG-dinucleotides was absent in DNA of healthy donor leucocytes (0/10). Methylation level of the examined fragment of the RASSF1A promoter region was significantly higher in tumors of patients with lymph node metastases in comparison to tumors of patients without metastases (P = 8.5 x 10(-12)). The methylation frequency of RASSF1A gene was in two times higher than hemi- and homozygous deletion frequency at the region of location of this gene (chromosome 3p21.31), determined earlier. These data suggest that methylation of the RASSF1A gene is one of the main ways of this gene inactivation in HPV-positive cervical squamous cell carcinomas. The methylation of the RASSF1A gene is an early event in genesis of tumor and the level of methylation increased with tumor progression.

[Search for HHV-8 associated diseases reservoir and spread paths of HHV-8 in Russia]. / Poiski HHV-8-assotsiirovannykh zabolevanii, rezervuara i putei rasprostraneniia HHV-8 v Rossii.

Summarized in the paper are study results of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) and of its association with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The data obtained denotes that the share of individuals producing the antibodies to HHV-8 in a majority of studied patients was low and ranged form 0 to 5.5%, which is indicative of a low degree of the virus spread in population. At the same time, a high share of persons with antibodies to HHV-8 was detected among HIV-infected homosexuals (71.4%), kidney recipients (26.0%) and among AIDS-KS patients (78.6%). It was also unexpectedly high among patients with T- and B-cell lymphomas (50%), encephalopathy (27.3%) and with stomach cancer (41.8%): the appropriate parameters were 7-12-fold higher versus healthy subjects. The HHV-8 markers, i.e. virus specific antibodies and/or nucleotide sequences of the virus, were detected in blood serum and ejaculate of a significant number of patients with different pathologies of the prostate. Such detection of viral markers in the above categories of patients is suggestive of that sexual contacts with such patients are decisive for the HHV-8 spread in population.

[Antibodies to herpesvirus type 8 in Kaposi's sarcoma patients and controls in Russia]. / Antitela k gerpesvirusu tipa 8 u bol'nykh sarkomoi Kaposhi i lits kontrol'nykh grupp v Rossii.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the HH-8 seroprevalence among patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), melanoma and gastric carcinoma (GC) as well as among renal recipients and blood donors. The obtained data revealed a high percentage of seropositive KS patients, which ranged from 83.6% in the classical disease type to 68.8% and to 71.4% in the immunosuppressive and AIDS-associated disease types, respectively. On the whole, the positive humoral response to HHV-8 reliably correlated with the positive findings if the viral genetic information in tumor tissue samplings. An unexpectedly high percentage of seropositive persons was found among the GC patients (41.8%) and among the renal recipients (26%), which is apparently predetermined by the immunosuppressive condition of such patients. Seroprevalence was found only in 4% of blood donors. Thus, the obtained data make it possible to conclude that KS cases, as diagnosed in Russia, are tensely associated with HHV-8 in spite of a low virus spread among the healthy population. Patients with pathology concomitant with a pronounced immunosuppression are characterized by a high prevalence of HHV-8 and belong to the category of persons with a KS risk.

[PCR diagnosis of sequences of a novel human herpes virus type 8 in patients with Kaposi sarcoma in Russia]. / PTsR-diagnostika posledovatel'nostei novogo gerpesvirusa cheloveka 8-go tipa u bol'nykh sarkomoi Kaposhi v Rossii.

Associations of a new human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) with different forms of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in Russia have been studied. Search for this virus genetic information has been carried out in biopsy specimens of benign and malignant tumors other than KS, and probable sites of HHV-8 latency in human body have been checked. HHV-8 sequences were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HHV-8 sequences were most often detected in idiopathic (80.6%), AIDS-associated (80%), and immunosuppressive (100%) KS. The results indicate a selective association of HHV-8 with KS. No probable sites of the virus latency were detected in peripheral blood cells of patients with KS and in the prostate of patients with chronic prostatitis. The only exception was the husband of a patient with KS: HHV-8 sequences were detected in his prostatic secretion by nested PCR.

Molecular characterization of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus-8 strains from Russia.

We report the molecular characterization, with subtyping of both K1 and K14.1/K15 genomic regions, of seven new human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) strains from Russian patients with classical Kaposi's sarcoma. Phylogenetic studies, based on the complete K1 gene/protein analysis, indicate that six of these strains belong to the A subtype, with one belonging to the A4 group and exhibiting a unique deletion of 19 amino acids in the VR2 region at position 186-204. PCR-based studies of the K14.1/K15 genomic region indicate that four of the new strains were of the M subtype while three belonged to the P subtype. Our study indicates an important genetic diversity of the HHV-8 strains currently present in Russia, including a new peculiar strain possessing a unique deletion in the VR2 segment, and confirms the absence of correlation between the K1 and K14.1/K15 molecular subtypes, as M and P genotypes can be observed in the A K1 subtype.

[An evaluation of the effect of certain factors on the hemodynamics during anesthesia induction in stomach cancer patients]. / Otsenka vliianiia nekotorykh faktorov na gemodinamiku v period induktsii v anesteziiu u bol'nykh rakom zheludka.

Hemodynamic response to induction to anesthesia and tracheal intubation was assessed in 132 patients with gastric cancer divided into groups depending on the method of induction. Group I was administered thiopental sodium at a dose of 4-5 mg/kg, group II--thiopental sodium at the same dose and fentanyl (1.5 micrograms/kg), group III--thiopental sodium at the same dose with local laryngeal anesthesia using a 10% lidocaine solution, group IV--propanidid (4-5 micrograms/kg), and fentanyl (1.5 micrograms/kg), group V--thiopental sodium at the same dose and fentanyl (3-5 micrograms/kg), group VI--diazepam (15-20 mg) and fentanyl (3-5 micrograms/kg). Tracheal intubation followed dithylin injection without premedication. It has been established that adequate analgesia achieved by fentanyl (3-5 micrograms/kg) administration is the main factor that has a stabilizing effect on circulation during induction to anesthesia involving tracheal intubation. Lower drug doses and local laryngeal anesthesia proved effective in less than one third of patients. Circulatory response to pressor-depressor induction factors depends significantly on the baseline cardiac output and BP values and to a lesser extent on circulating blood volume (CBV) deficiency. Preoperative volume expansion with 12-15 ml/kg infusions stabilizes circulation parameters even in the absence of CBV deficiency, which confirms the functional nature of hypovolemia in patients with gastric cancer.

[Effect of ascorbic acid on the frequency of the occurrence of colchicine- and methotrexate-resistant colonies]. / Vliianie askorbinovoi kisloty na chastotu poiavleniia kolonii, ustoichivykh k kolkhitsinu i metotreksatu.

The influence of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) on the frequency of occurrence of colchicine- and methotrexate-resistant colonies of Djungarian hamster DM-15 cells was studied the number of resistant cells was found to increase 2.9-19.8-fold. The genetic effect of using high vitamin C doses is discussed.

[Induction of gene amplification in Djungarian hamster cells by various chemical carcinogens]. / Induktsiia gennoi amplifikatsii v kletkakh dzhungarskogo khomiachka nekotorymi khimicheskimi kantserogenami.

The influence of 9 different carcinogens on gene amplification was studied in DM-15 Djungarian hamster cells. The effect was assessed by resistance to colchicine or methotrexate. It was found that tumour promotors (12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), mezerein, tween-80) and some carcinogens possessing both initiating and promoting activity (20-methylcholanthrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)antracene, aflatoxin B1) dramatically increased the number of colchicine and methotrexate-resistant cells. 4-0-methylTPA, a non-promoting analog of TPA, and alkylating carcinogens (ethylmethanesulphonate and nitrosomethylurea) did not induce gene amplification. It was suggested that the ability of carcinogens to induce gene amplification correlated with their ability to induce the second promotion stage.