Distinct organization of adaptive immunity in the long-lived rodent Spalax galili.

A balanced immune response is a cornerstone of healthy aging. Here, we uncover distinctive features of the long-lived blind mole-rat (Spalax spp.) adaptive immune system, relative to humans and mice. The T-cell repertoire remains diverse throughout the Spalax lifespan, suggesting a paucity of large long-lived clones of effector-memory T cells. Expression of master transcription factors of T-cell differentiation, as well as checkpoint and cytotoxicity genes, remains low as Spalax ages. The thymus shrinks as in mice and humans, while interleukin-7 and interleukin-7 receptor expression remains high, potentially reflecting the sustained homeostasis of naive T cells. With aging, immunoglobulin hypermutation level does not increase and the immunoglobulin-M repertoire remains diverse, suggesting shorter B-cell memory and sustained homeostasis of innate-like B cells. The Spalax adaptive immune system thus appears biased towards sustained functional and receptor diversity over specialized, long-lived effector-memory clones-a unique organizational strategy that potentially underlies this animal's extraordinary longevity and healthy aging.

[Effects of panthenol and carnitine on aldehyde metabolic enzymes in rats with tetrachloromethane-induced liver injury].

Tetrachloromethane (2 g/kg, intragastric) produced a decrease in the activity of NAD- and NADH- dependent aldehyde dehydrogenases with high Km for aldehydes in rat liver. Panthenol and L-carnitine administered separately normalized the activity of aldehyde dehydrogenases, while a combination of the drugs did not produce any significant effect.

Effect of Perftoran on free radical homeostasis during alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

We studied the effects of Perftoran on free radical processes in the liver of rats with withdrawal syndrome after chronic alcohol intoxication. Administration of Perftoran in the period of ethanol withdrawal eliminated the signs of oxidative stress and prevented elevation of enzyme activities in the blood, which reflects improvement of structural and functional characteristics of liver cell membranes.

[Effect of chronic morphine treatment on free radical state].

The state of an enzymatic component of the antioxidant system, intencity of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the liver, nitric oxide level in blood plasma were investigated in rats subjected to chronic morphine intoxication. Male Wistar rats were treated with introperitoneal injections of 1% morphine hydrochloride twice a day. The daily dose of morphine was gradually increased trom 10 mg/kg (1-2 days) to 20 mg/kg (3-4 days), and up to 40 mg/kg starting at the fifth day. The first group of animals (n=8) received morphine injections for 14 and 21 days. Chronic morphine treatment was accompanied by marked inhibition of the peroxide-utilizing antioxidants in liver. This creates favourable conditions for H2O2 toxicity. Howewer, low level of thiobarbituric acid reactive products suggests involvement of some scavenger, which inhibits hydrogen-peroxide induced free radical processes. In vitro experiments suggests that morphine may be involved into reduction of H2O2 level, whereas administration of morphine to rats may also employ nitric oxide as the scavenger of reactive oxygen species.

[Interrupted alcohol treatment and liver: free radical homeostasis, nitric oxide, adaptive mechanisms].

Alcohol administration can result in liver damage. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and their interaction are crucial factors in this process. The aim of work was to investigate, free radical state and mechanisms of adaptation of the antioxidant system (AOS) to stress, caused by interrupted alcohol intake. Repeated cycles of alcoholization caused an imbalance between production and utilization of various ROS. This imbalance was due to impairments in the system superoxide dismutase/catalase. Nevertheless, in most experimental groups there was clear reduction of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. This might be attributed to the antioxidant effect of NO. However, there was an increased level of transaminases in blood plasma. After 28 days of this experimental scheme all the parameters studied normalized.