Hormonal regulation of NK cell cytotoxic activity

The effects of chorionic gonadotropin, estriol (E₃), leptin, ghrelin, and kisspeptin on the intracellular expression of perforin, granzyme A, and granzyme B was studied in separated NK cells. All studied hormones except E₃ are could modulate the expression of cytotoxic enzymes in NK cells by suppression of the expression of the most active proapoptotic agents, resulting in increased expression of granzyme A, which is typical of the decidual subpopulation of these lymphocytes.     

Comparison of the Adjuvant Activity for the Glucosaminyl-Muramyl Dipeptide and the Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Gene in Gene Immunization against the Herpes Simplex Virus

The adjuvant activity in DNA immunization against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) was studied for the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) synthesized from an eukaryotic expression plasmid (pDNAGM-CSF) and for the synthetic glucosaminyl-muramyl dipeptide (GMDP). A plasmid containing the HSV gD gene (pDNAgD) was used as an immunogen. GMDP and pDNAGM-CSF each enhanced the T-cell immune response to DNA immunization. The protective effect of DNA immunization increased from 63 to 100% when the two plasmids were injected simultaneously and to 96% when pDNAgD was injected one day after injecting GMDP. The results showed that DNA vaccines combined with genetic or peptide adjuvants are promising for DNA immunization against HSV.__________Translated from Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, Vol. 39, No. 3, 2005, pp. 504–512.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Kozlov, Klimova, Shingarova, Boldyreva, Nekrasova, Guryanova, Andronova, Novikov, Kushch.     

Characteristics of the functional state of rat tracheal and bronchial smooth muscle at different stages of alveolitis

In isolated tracheal smooth muscle preparations in normal rats and in rats with experimental fibrotic alveolitis, responses to electrical field stimulation of nervous and muscle fibers were studied. At stimulation of muscles or nerves of tracheal preparations without intramural ganglia in rats with acute alveolitis, parameters of smooth muscle contractions did not practically differ from those in normal rats. In rats with fibrotic alveolitis the amplitude and rate of muscle contraction decreased, while the response latent period (LP) increased. At stimulation of preganglionic nerve fibers of the tracheal preparations with intramural ganglia in rats with acute alveolitis, the value and rate of smooth muscle contraction decreased, while the response LP increased. After transition into chronic phase of the disease (fibrotic alveolitis), a partial restoration of the response parameters took place. In rats with acute alveolitis, the repeated stimulation of the nerve fibers led to an increase of amplitude and a decrease of rate of tracheal smooth muscle contractions. In rats with fibrotic alveolitis, the repeated stimulation caused a decrease of amplitude and rate of contractions and an increase of the response LP.     

The Sensitivity of Malignant and Healthy Human Cells to Polyacrylates of Noble Metals

Biophysics - Abstract—The cytotoxic activities of two polyacrylate-based polymer compounds containing gold (aurumacryl) and silver (argacryl) against malignant (MCF-7 breast cancer, A-549...     

Anion-selective channelrhodopsin expressed in neuronal cell culture and in vivo in murine brain: Light-induced inhibition of generation of action potentials

Anionic channelrhodopsin slow ChloC was expressed in the culture of nerve cells and in vivo in mouse brain. We demonstrated ability of slow ChloC to suppress effectively the activity of the neuron in response to the illumination with the visible light. It has been shown for a first time that slow ChloC works equally efficiently in both neuronal culture and in the whole brain being expressed in vivo. Thus, slow ChloC could be considered as an effective optogenetic tool capable in response to light stimulation to inhibit the generation of action potentials in the neuron.