[Expression of estrogen receptors beta and beta1 in tissue of human non-small cell lung cancer].

Comparability of the level and intensity of estrogen receptors beta (ERbeta) expression in non-small cell lung cancer tissue of 32 patients was analyzed by flow cytometry using various antibodies--to the total fraction of ERbeta (clone 14C8) as well to the full-length ERbeta1 isoform (clone EMRO2). The differences in the ER expression indexes detected by anti-ERbeta or anti-ERbeta1 antibodies were revealed in some patients, but it had no influence on average indexes of the ERbeta expression in the patient groups investigated. It was confirmed by the findings on more frequent and more intensive expression of ERbeta in the non-small cell lung cancer tissue of female patients vs. the males irrespective of antibody type - anti-ER/ or anti-ERbeta1. Therefore, in comparative analysis of ERbeta expression in the groups of the patients with different clinicomorphologic characteristics of the disease it is possible to use both the antibodies. For individual disease prognosis in the routine clinical practice it is recommended to use the antibodies to the total fraction of ERbeta, since there are individual differences between the ERbeta expression indexes revealing by various types of antibodies.

[Immunopharmacokinetics of synthetic beta-carotene]. / Immunofarmakokinetika sinteticheskogo beta-karotina.

The immunopharmacology and pharmacokinetics of synthetic beta-carotene were studied in complex clinico-laboratory investigations after single and repeated per os administrations of various doses of the drug to healthy volunteers and cancer patients. Repeated treatment with beta-carotene at a dose of 30 mg caused no significant changes in the immunological parameters studied. However, treatment with a dose of 250 mg altered the parameters as follows: alteration of beta-carotene content in blood, elevation of the counts of lymphocytes and T lymphocytes forming "active" rosettes, increase in the proliferative response of lymphocytes to the mitogen PWM and activation of natural killers. Single administration of the drug in a dose of 1,000 and 2,000 mg led to short-term reversible immunodepression, appeared as leukopenia, abolition of the proliferative response of lymphocytes to mitogens and inhibition of T suppressors. Kinetics of retinoids and beta-carotene content in blood plasma was studied after single per os administration of drug megadoses.

[The beta-carotene stimulation of cellular immunity reactions in mice]. / Stimuliatsiia beta-karotinom reaktsii kletochnogo immuniteta u myshei.

The immunomodulating properties of synthetic beta-carotene were studied in C57Bl/6 and BALB/c mice using the tests of proliferative, cytotoxic and suppressor activity, and evaluating the adhesive capacity of macrophage lineage cells. Long-term feeding of C57Bl/6 mice with beta-carotene microgranules (0.1-0.5 mg of active substance per mouse) led to enhanced T cell proliferative response to ConA, which lasted for 15-45 days. Administration of beta-carotene oil solution to BALB/c mice previously immunized with alloantigens (0.17-0.34 mg of beta-carotene per mouse) enhanced T-cell cytotoxicity against L-929 and YAC-1 cells and macrophage cytotoxicity against L-929 cells. The treatment also reduced T-suppressor activity as shown in the assays of inhibition of the lymphocyte blast transformation reaction and mixed lymphocyte culture. The treatment with both preparations of beta-carotene enhanced the adhesive properties of macrophages and related cells, and induced the increased production of oxygen active radicals by these cells.