Pressure algometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of natural antibodies in the evaluation of pain syndrome

The dynamics of possible markers of pain syndrome: pain pressure thresholds of intolerance (PTI) and natural antibodies to mediators of pain processing (nAbs) in blood serum at dorsalgia was studied. We have shown that most men and women had reduced PTIs. Night PTIs were lower than daytime PTIs regardless of the gender. The study of the content of nAbs to opioids and biogenic amines by ELISA have shown a prolonged maintenance of their elevated and high levels that could evoke long-term effect in pain chronization. Thus, the pressure algometry and ELISA of nAbs to pain processing mediators make it possible to assess the individual pain status objectively and, on this bases, to propose personal schemes of treatment.     

Synthesis of positively charged galactosurfactants

An approach to synthesis of cationic carbohydrate surfactants with potential antimicrobial or transfected activities is described.     

The receptor organization of the reinforcing and analgetic opiate systems in the rat

Comparative study of topographic and receptor selectivity of emotionally positive (place preference test) and analgetic (electrical and pressure nociceptive stimulation of the tail) effects of opioids was performed in rats. Morphine and selective agonists of mu-, kappa-, delta- and sigma-opiate receptors were administered through cannulae implanted into the periaqueductal grey and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Reinforcing effects of opioids in VTA was shown to be mediated mainly by mu-, delta- and sigma-receptors, while analgetic effect was realised with the aid of mu- and delta-opioid receptors.     

Substrate specificity of the serine proteinase from Bacillus subtilis, strain 72

A comparative study of the hydrolysis of various p-nitroanilide substrates (Z-A2-A1-pNA, Z-A3-A2-A1-pNA, and Z-A4-A3-A2-A1-pNA, where A1-An are various amino acid residues, Z is the benzoyloxycarbonylic group and pNA is the p-nitroanilide group), catalyzed by serine proteinase from Bacillus subtilis strain 72, was carried out. It was found that depending on the substrate structure, the hydrolysis may involve both the peptide-p-nitroaniline and the amino acid-amino acid bonds. A kinetic analysis of substrate hydrolysis occurring simultaneously at these two bonds was carried out. The physico-chemical meaning of the kinetic parameters of the given scheme was determined. The quantitative estimation of the enzyme specificity with respect to both hydrolyzing bonds can be found by using the parameters calculated during the analysis of the kinetic curve of p-nitroaniline production. It was found that according to their specificity the amino acid residues at position A1 can be arranged in the following order: L-Leu greater than P-Phe greater than L-Ile greater than L-Ala. The beta-branched amino acid residues, L-Val and L-Ile, do not bind to subsite S1. If these residues occupy position A1, the substrate splitting occurs exclusively between residues A1 and A2. The tetrapeptide N-protected p-nitroanilide substrates are also hydrolyzed at this bond. Partial hydrolysis of the amino acid-amino acid bond between residues A1 and A2 occurs in two cases: i) when residue A1 is loosely bound to subsite S1 and/or, ii) when residue A2 is firmly bound to subsite S1.     

Effect of synthetic polyribonucleotides on the immunological and colony-forming activity of irradiated bone marrow cells

The experimental data are presented concerning the effect of polyribonucleotides on the immunologic and colony forming ability of bone marrow or irradiated mice. All the compounds under study exhibited a pronounced, but to a different degree, colony-forming and immunostimulating action. The comparative study of the influence of polyribonucleotides on the number of endogenous colonies and antibody-forming cells showed an inverse relationship between these parameters: The preparations exerting the most pronounced immunostimulating effect had an insignificant colony-forming action and vice versa. This is evidently indicative of the capacity of these preparations to turn the differentiation of haemopoietic stem cells towards the immunopoiesis.     

Effect of thermal treatment on the structure and biological properties of tuberculin

The effect of heat treatment used in the course of tuberculin production by Mycobacteria tuberculosis cells on the structure and biological activity of tuberculin was studied. Methods of preparative and analytical gel-filtration were used. The largest quantity of the biologically active component was obtained after 2-hour heat treatment of the mycobacteria culture.