Preparations for serodiagnosis of diseases due to causative agents of ixode tick-borne Borreliosis (Lyme disease). Communication 2. Comparative study of recombinant enzyme immunoassay test-systems (rELISA) for serological diagnosis of ixode tick-borne Borreliosis]

One foreign and two Russian recombinant enzyme immunoassay test-systems were comparatively investigated under conditions of an encoded experiment. Sensitivity in the experiment with the Russian test-systems Borreliosis-ELISA-IgG and Lyme Best was 63.8 and 68.8% respectively. As for the test-system Borrelia IgG Recombinant, it was 47.5%. All the test-systems were highly specific (94.4 to 99.5%). The test-systems Lyme Best and Borrelia IgG Recombinant revealed partial cross reactions with sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and leptospirosis.     

Therapeutic siRNAs and nonviral systems for their delivery

Gene-directed therapy with small interfering RNA (siRNA) has a tremendous potential and will undoubtedly occupy one of the leading positions among other therapeutic methods in the future. The lack of efficient and targeted delivery vectors delays a successful implementation of this method in medicine. To develop such systems, one needs a comprehensive insight into the interactions of siRNAs, its delivery systems, and an organism. The review covers the properties of therapeutic siRNAs and nonviral systems for their delivery.     

Fundamental and applied aspects of comparative genomics of vertebrates

The Human Genome Project stimulated the development of efficient strategies and relevant hardware for complete genome sequencing. The comparative genomic approach extends the possibilities of using the sequencing data to identify new genes or conserved regulatory regions by means of nucleotide sequence alignment of the particular regions of the mouse and human genomes, or to trace the evolutionary events resulting in the genome structure of modern mammals. The review focuses on the use of new molecular cytogenetic methods along with computer-aided analysis of the genomes in vertebrates. Several factors hindering data analysis are considered. The currently available information on gene evolution rate inferred from comparative genomic data is presented. The origin and evolution of the genomes of several species are discussed.     

Cell type-specific expression of the Mas proto-oncogene in testis.

The Mas proto-oncogene encodes a G-protein-coupled receptor with the common seven transmembrane domains and may be involved in the actions of angiotensins. Because Mas is highly expressed in testis, we investigated the cell type-specificity and the onset of expression of the gene in this organ. Using an RNase protection assay, it could be shown that neither whole testes nor cultured Sertoli and Leydig cells of 12-day-old mice express Mas mRNA. Mas expression is first detected in 18-day-old mice and thereafter increases continuously until 6 months of age. By in situ hybridization, the expression could be localized to Leydig cells and Sertoli cells, the signals being much more pronounced in the former. A weak signal was detected in primary spermatocytes. The strong ontogenetically controlled and cell type-specific expression of this membrane-bound receptor in testis implicates a role for the Mas proto-oncogene in testis maturation and function.     

Selection of reliable reference genes for qRT-PCR analysis in human non-cancerous gastric tissue

Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is the standard method for studying changes in relative gene expression in complex diseases like obesity and gastritis. However, variations in amount of starting material, enzymatic efficiency and presence of amplification inhibitors can lead to quantification errors. Hence, the need for accurate data normalization is vital. Among several known strategies for data normalization, the use of reference genes as an internal control is the most common approach. Human gastric tissue has been the least investigated for stability of reference gene expression. In this study, three popular algorithms, GeNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper were used to evaluate the reference gene stability. Conclusion: HPRT1 and GAPDH are the best performing pair of reference genes for qRT-PCR profiling experiments involving non-malignant gastric tissue samples.     

Polyanionic inhibitors of HIV adsorption

The inhibitors of viral adsorption are a new generation of antiviral drugs, which can be used in the therapy of HIV infection. The review presents different classes of the HIV entry inhibitors, which are grouped according to the processes they are targeting: the interaction of the viral glycoprotein gp120 with the cell receptor CD4, the secondary interaction of gp120 with the chemokine receptors CCR5 or CXCR4, or the formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle required for the fusion of the virus with the cell membrane.     

Acute and remote biochemical and physiological effects of exhaustive weightlifting exercise

The goal of the work was a study of exhaustive weightlifting exercise effect on prolonged changes in physiological and biochemical variables characterized functional status of skeletal muscles. An exercise gave rise to significant blood lactate concentration increase that was indicative of an anaerobic metabolism to be a predominant mechanism of muscle contraction energy supply. A reduction of m. rectus femoris EMG activity (amplitude and frequency), tonus of tension and an increase in tonus of relaxation were found immediately after exercise. Both EMG amplitude and frequency were increased 1 day post-exercise. However, after 3 days of recovery, EMG amplitude and frequency were decreased again and, in parallel, blood serum creatine kinase (CK) activity was significantly increased. After 9 recovery days, all measured variables with the exception of CK were normalized. A significant reverse correlation was found between blood serum lactate concentration and m. rectus femoris EMG activity at the same time points. Blood serum CK activity and m. rectus femoris EMG and tonus variables were observed to be significantly reversely correlated on the 3rd post-exercise day. Presented data demonstrate that exhaustive exercise-induced muscle injury resulted in phase alterations in electrical activity and tonus which correlated with lactate concentration and CK activity in blood serum.