Characterization of plant phenolic compounds by cyclic voltammetry

Phenolic acids and flavonoids were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and total antioxidant activity in the reaction with the ABTS cation radical. Anode peak voltages (Eap) and their pH dependences were determined for the studied phenolic acids and flavonoids. The Eap and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values were found to correlate for polyphenols, which react with the ABTS cation radical in two steps. Correlation between the half-wave potential (Ep/2) and TEAC was determined for electrochemically irreversible compounds. Mechanisms of the reaction of phenolics on the electrode involving one- and two-electron oxidation are proposed.     

A new gene family of single fibrinogen domain lectins in Mytilus

In molluscs haemolymph lectins bearing ?brinogen-like domain (FREP) act as immune pattern-recognition receptors. A full-length cDNAs of MytFREP1 and MytFREP2 cloned from haemocytes of blue mussel Mytilus edulis encoded putative polypeptides of 230 and 241 amino acids. Both polypeptides consist of signal peptide and C-terminal fibrinogen-like domain. Immune functions of these molecules may be extrapolated from the close-related and functionally characterized lectin AiFREP from bay scallop, Argopecten irradians. However, immune challenge experiments with zymosan particles, Escherichia coli bacterium and cercariae of Himasthla elongata (Trematoda) failed to modulate MytFREP1 and MytFREP2 mRNA expression in M. edulis haemocytes. Hypothetically, it argues into rather high specificity of mechanisms triggering a differential expression of MytFREP genes. The search in the EST database revealed orthologous copies for described genes and portion of relatively similar genes from two close-related mytilids, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mytilus californianus. We document the new multigene family of FREPs from bivalves of genus Mytilus. MytFREP family currently represented by 2 genes from M. edulis, 4 genes from M. californianus and 7 genes from M. galloprovincialis.     

Biochemical markers of apoptosis in different brain regions after training

Activity of caspase-3 and content of DNA fragments with sizes 0.2-0.6 kbp and more than 4.0 kbp in the worm of the cerebellum, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the adult rat brain were estimated in 4 and 24 hours after the procedure of acoustic startle habituation and fear conditioning. Heterochronic changes in apoptotic markers in the examined brain structures were observed after training. Caspase-3 activity was decreased in the worm of the cerebellum and hippocampus, and DNA fragmentation was suppressed in the hippocampus and brain cortex. At the same time, both caspase activity and DNA fragmentation were increased in the hypothalamus. These results provide evidence for the involvement of apoptosis in the mechanisms of learning and memory in adult brain.     

The intellectual development of the children exposed to the influence of the ionizing radiation

The mental development level of the children living in the territories polluted by the radioactive nuclide as the result of Cheernobil power plant damage, exposed to the prenatal irradiation, evacuated from the alienation zone, born from parents-liquidators (1st generation of the irradiated people) was evaluated. 177 children were examinated. The control group included 34 children not exposed to the radiation. The complex of psychometric methods--"D. Wexler children's intellectual test"--for 3-6-year-old children in the translation and adaptation of A.U. Panasyuk was applied for evaluating the intellect rate. In the structure of the observed groups the pathology diseases of nervous system, of digestion organs and the congenital anomalies prevailed. Clinical and instrumental investigation showed no differences in the neurology status between the observed and the control groups. It was proved that the intellect of the children exposed to the radiation corresponds the age standards. However, intellectual development of the children irradiated in the prenatal period and children evacuated from the 2nd zone of radioactive pollution (or living there) has a tendency to its decreasing. The determining role of social, of economic and of biologic factors (the parents' education, the region of living, the birth weight) in the intellect development was indicated.     

Changes of lipid-carbohydrate metabolism during development of melanocortin obesity in the mice with the Agouti yellow mutation

Melanocortin obesity develops after puberty in mice with Agouti yellow mutation. The aim of the work was to study dynamics of the main characteristics oflipidcarbohydrate metabolism during the obesity development. We used female mice of C57BI/6J strain homozygous for recessive mutation nonagouti (a/a-mice) who were predisposed to the obesity, and heterozygous for dominant mutation Agouti yellow (Ay-mice) who were not predisposed to the obesity. Food consumption and body weights were measured from week 4 to week 22. Some animals were decapitated on 8, 11, 13, 15, 22 weeks. Hyperphagia (6 week) proceeds to body weight increasing (7 week) in the Ay-mice. In the Ay-mice compared to a/a-mice, adiposyte size and blood level of leptin were increased on the 11th week, blood levels of fatty acids and glucose--on the 13th week, blood level of insulin--on the 15th week. The hyperphagia seems to promote development ofmelanocortin obesity, stable disturbances of lipid metabolism appearing before those in glucose metabolism. Complete metabolic obesity syndrome was formed after the 15th week of life.     

Collagenolytic activity in several species of deuteromycetes under various storage conditions

The ability of deuteromycetes of the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Botrytis to retain collagenolytic activity was studied after both 2 and 10 years of storage on a Czapek medium under a layer of mineral oil at 4 degrees C, as well as in silica gel granules at 20 and -60 degrees C. The enzymatic activity of several species, including Botrytis terrestris, Penicillium janthinellum, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Penicillium citrinum, was retained under both conditions of storage. Aspergillus repens retained enzymatic activity only if stored under a layer of mineral oil. The viability of conidia and the collagenolytic activity of Botrytis terrestris, P. janthinellum, P. chrysogenum, and Penicillium citrinum, maintained on silica gel for 10 years, depended on the storage temperature. The viability of the test strains improved after storage on a silica gel at -60 degrees C. A strain of Aspergillus repens lost its ability to dissolve collagen at various storage temperatures on the silica gel. The index of lysis for three strains of Penicillium deuteromycetes (Penicillium janthinellum, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Penicillium citrinum) increased after a 10-year storage on silica gel at -60 degrees C.     

Comparative analysis of tobacco and Arabidopsis insertional mutants, transformed with equal vector constructions

We have analyzed genetic effects of heterologous plant genes insertion on genome functioning of higher plants, belonging to different systematic groups (tobacco, Arabidopsis). Plants of different species were responding differently to the insertion of the same transgene, which is likely to be associated with the location of alien DNA insertion and could manifest in morphological changes spectrum and target gene expression level.     

Comparative characteristics of new mesenchymal stem cell lines derived from human embryonic stem cells, bone marrow and foreskin

New nonimmortalized fibroblast-like cell lines SC5-MSC and SC3a-MSC, FetMSC, FRSN were obtained from human embryonic stem cells (ESC), bone marrow of a 5-6-days embryo and foreskin of a 3-years-old boy, respectively. All the lines are successfully used as the feeder at human ESC cultivation. It is determined that the average cell population doublings time varies from 25.5 h for ISC5-MSC to 38.8 h for SC3a-MSC. Active proliferation of all the lines is also shown by the corresponding growth curves. Numerical and structural karyotypic analysis showed that these lines had normal karyotype: 46,XX (SC5-MSC and SC3a-MSC) and 46,XY (FetMSC and FRSN). To determine the status of the lines, their cell surface markers were analyzed by flow cytometry. This analysis revealed the presence of surface antigens CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105 and HLA-ABC, characteristic of human MSC, and the absence of CD34 and HLA-DR. Different lines were found to express CD117(c-kit) to a different level. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis did not detect TRA-1-60 and Oct-4, characteristic of human embryonic stem cells, and revealed interlinear variations in the level of SSEA, which did not depend on the cell origin. It is not clear yet whether these interlinear variations affect functional MSC status. In all the lines, immunofluorescence analysis showed the presence of the markers of early differentiation in the derivates of three germ layers which may allow MSC to be useful, in corresponding microenvironments, for reparation of tissue injures. Adipogenic and osteogenic differentiatiation of all cell lines has been shown.