Participation of transfused bone marrow cells in reparative osteohistogenesis

The participation of skeletal tissue cell precursors in the repairing regeneration of bone tissue was studied. Bone marrow was taken from donor animals--mice of C57Bl/6-TgN(ACTbGFP) 1 Osb line (The Jackson Laboratory Bar Harbor ME USA line). Nucleated cell fraction was isolated by centrifugation on a density percoll gradient. Recipient mice C57Bl/6 line were irradiated by 7.0-7.5 Gr dose. Intravenous infusion of donor cells and osteoclasts of tibia was done after irradiation of recipient mice. Histological preparations of bone regenerate tissues were studied on 15, 30, and 60 days by confocal microscopy. Donor cells were found as skeletal tissue precursors into periost, endost, bone marrow, and as differentiated cells of newborn tissue of regenerate--osteoblasts, osteocytes, chondrocytes. The data obtained indicate that part of donor bone marrow cells are able to progressive differentiation under recipient bone fractures.     

Parameters of lens protein fluorescence quenching in early stages of hereditary cataract

Several physico-chemical parameters of lenses were investigated in IOR/Hab mice with hereditary cataract aged 4, 6, 8 weeks, i.e. at the stage preceding the development of cataract. The level of restored glutathione in the IOR/Hab lenses /2.0 mM/ was the lowest as compared to other lines but almost the same as in CBA/J /2.3 mM/. In the process of studying protein fluorescence quenching in cortex homogenates by nitrate anions a significant increase of the quenching constant was discovered in IOR/Hab mice: 10.4 M-1 in four-week animals and up to 32.3 M-1 in eight-week animals. The data obtained suggest that a progressing growth of the quenching constant in line IOR/Hab lenses is related to a decreased density of the protein negative charge resulted from their decreased phosphorylation.     

Possibilities of using MIGI-K protective activity under conditions of radionuclide contamination

Experimental studies of the mussel hydrolyzate (MIGI-K) have shown that this preparation can enhance both general and radiation resistance of the organism. Moreover, MIGI-K promotes elimination of incorporated radionuclides from the organism. Some properties of this preparation, in particular, the absence of toxicity or harmful side effects, have made it possible to apply MIGI-K as an adaptogen, that is, a food supplement oftherapeutic and preventive action used to increase radionuclide excretion in the Chernobyl emergency clean-up workers.     

Genome-wide association study of allergic diseases in Russians of West Siberia

Genome-wide association studies are currently considered as one of the most powerful tools for establishing the genetic basis of complex diseases. A number of such studies have been carried out for allergic diseases; however, in the Russian population, this analysis has not been performed so far. For the first time, we performed a genome-wide association study of allergic diseases in Russian residents of West Siberia. Two new loci associated with childhood bronchial asthma (20q13.12, rs2425656, P = 1.99 × 10⁻⁷; 1q32.1, rs3817222, rs12734001, P = 2.18 × 10⁻⁷ and 2.79 × 10⁻⁷, respectively) as well as one locus associated with allergic rhinitis (2q36.1, rs1597167, P = 3.69 × 10⁻⁷) were identified. Genes located in these loci, YWHAB and PPP1R12B for asthma and KCNE4 for allergic rhinitis, are suggested as new candidate genes for these diseases. It was also found that BAT1 (6p21.33), MAGI2 (7q21.11), and ACPL2 (3q23) are probably common (syntropic) genes of allergic disease and atopic sensitization. It was shown that RIT2 (18q12.3) and FSTL4 (5q31.1) genes can be involved in the control of lung function. The results of the study contribute to the body of data on genetic factors of allergy and expand the list of genes underlying these diseases.     

Spectral analysis of nucleotide sequences

The data of Fourier-analysis of nucleotide sequences are discussed. The existence of reflexes corresponding to regular position of nucleotides (mainly T and G) with 3-base period is the most striking feature of both phage and viral nucleic acid sequences spectra. The amplitude and phase of the similar reflexes in the dinucleotide spectra obtained by digital computing of Fourier-transform, give specific information on amino acid composition, codon bias, amino acid relations. The width of frequency band characterizes a tendency to nucleotide clustering or to separate existence. The blurring of reflexes shows the disturbance of far order in the regular nucleotide "lattice". The two-dimensional spectral analysis supports the existence of far correlation in nucleotide positions.     

Effect of x-ray irradiation on the activity of key enzymes in heme biosynthesis and breakdown in the rat liver

The authors studied the effects of the whole-body x-irradiation on the activity of delta-aminolevulinate synthase and heme oxygenase in the liver of Wistar rats. The activity of delta-aminolevulinate synthase decreased to 81-49% of normal by the 1st-3d day after irradiation in a dose of 7 Gy followed by partial normalization of the enzyme activity by the 5th-7th day. The activity of heme oxygenase was over 2 times as increased by the 5th-7th day following irradiation in a dose of 7 Gy. Irradiation in a dose of 5 Gy did not alter the activity of heme oxygenase and caused a negligible reduction in the activity of delta-aminolevulinate synthase. During the most pronounced decrease in the rate of heme synthesis in the liver of irradiated rats, there was an elevation in the level of "free" heme (measured by the degree of tryptophane pyrrolase saturation with heme). This attests to a possible lowering of the rate of heme utilization in the synthesis of heme. A possible role of the effects described in the irradiation-induced decrease in the content of cytochrome P-450 in the animals' liver.     

Reciprocal recombination products of VK-JK joining reactions in human lymphoid cell lines.

The recombination process that joins a VK to a JK segment of an immunoglobulin gene generates a second, reciprocal recombination product called f fragment. In this second product the regions flanking the VK and JK segments in the germline are joined in a head to head fashion. We now analysed f fragments in the human lymphoid cell lines Daudi, JI and IARC/BL41. All three f fragments contain JK1 flanks; the VK derived moiety of f Daudi and f41 could be traced back to known germline VK genes. There is a precise head to head joining of the heptanucleotide signal sequences in f Daudi and fJI while in f41 six nucleotides are present between the signal sequences. In contrast to the VK-JK recombination products, the f fragments were found to lack somatic mutations. The structures of the f fragments are discussed in the context of the VK-JK rearrangement mechanism.