Effect of perfluorocarbon emulsions on function of enzyme systems responsible for generating active forms of oxygen in neutrophils

The ability of the emulsion of perfluoroorganic compounds stabilized with proxanol 268 to affect the functions of peritoneal neutrophils was evaluated. The functional activity of neutrophils was estimated from the intensity of generation of reactive oxygen species using the method of chemiluminescent analysis. The emulsion was shown to suppress the neutrophil responses to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate in a dose-dependent manner. No inhibition of the activity of neutrophils in the presence of the emulsion was observed in N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine stimulated cells. The data obtained indirectly confirm the suggestion that the perfluoride emulsion inhibits neutrophil NADPH oxidase activity. In the presence of the perfluoride emulsion, myeloperoxidase plays a more important role in the generation of luminescent responses in both N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine- and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-stimulated neutrophils. The effect of perfluoride emulsion results in the preferential myeloperoxidase-produced generation of reactive oxygen species in the neutrophil respiratory burst.     

IL-11 and IL-11Rα immunolocalisation at primate implantation sites supports a role for IL-11 in placentation and fetal development

Embryo implantation, endometrial stromal cell decidualization and formation of a functional placenta are critical processes in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Interleukin (IL)-11 signalling is essential for adequate decidualization in the mouse uterus and IL-11 promotes decidualization in the human. IL-11 action is mediated via binding to the specific IL-11 receptor α (IL-11Rα). The present study examined immunoreactive IL-11 and IL-11Rα in cycling rhesus monkey endometrium, at implantation sites in cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys and in human first trimester decidua and defined distinct spatial and temporal patterns. In cycling rhesus monkey endometrium, IL-11 and IL-11Rα increased in both basalis and functionalis regions during the secretory compared with the proliferative phase, with changing cellular locations in luminal and glandular epithelium and stroma. The patterns were similar overall to those previously described in human endometrium. Differences were seen in immunostaining during implantation in cynomologus and rhesus monkey. In the cynomolgus, very little staining for IL-11 or IL-11Rα was seen in syncytio- and cyto-trophoblast cells in the villi between days 12 and 150 of pregnancy although there was moderate staining in cytotrophoblast in the shell between days 12 and 17 and in subpopulations of cytotrophoblast cells invading the arteries at day 17. By contrast in the rhesus monkey between days 24 and 35 of pregnancy and in human first trimester placenta, cyto- and syncytio-trophoblast in the villi but not cytotrophoblast in the shell were positively stained. The most intense staining for both IL-11 and IL-11Rα was present within the decidua in the maternal component of implantation sites in all three primates but moderate staining was also present in maternal vascular smooth muscle and glands perivascular cells and epithelial plaques. These results are consistent with a role for IL-11 both during decidualization and placentation in primates.     

Viscumin modulates neutrophil respiratory burst, caused by a chemotactic peptide

The ability of viscum at different concentrations to modulate the respiratory burst in neutrophils, induced by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was studied. This does not exclude the possibility that viscum can interact with the receptor of this peptide. The analysis of the primary structure of viscum revealed elements structurally analogous to the chemotactic peptide. It is assumed that viscum can exhibit the properties an antagonist of the receptor of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, and the mechanism of action of viscum depends on its concentration.     

Mitochondrial DNA variability in the Canary Islands honeybees (Apis mellifera L.)

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of individuals from 79 colonies of Apis mellifera from five Canary Islands was studied using the Dra I test based on the restriction of PCR products of the tRNAleu–COII intergenic region. Five haplotypes of the African (A) lineage and one of the west European (C) lineage were found. The haplotypes A14 and A15 are described for the first time. These haplotypes have a new P sequence named P₁. The wide distribution and high frequency of haplotype A15 suggest that it is characteristic of the Canarian Archipelago. Sources of haplotype variability of honeybee mtDNA in the Canary Islands (waves of colonization from Africa, queen importations, habitat diversification) are discussed.     

The expression of transmission ratio distortion (TRD) and the frequency of carriers of <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis> haplotypes in natural populations of house mice <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mus musculus</Emphasis>

The character of TRD (transmission ratio distortion) was analyzed using the database formed on the basis of the results obtained for a collection of mice carrying different t haplotypes during 30 years of experimental observations. Quantitative TRD parameters were determined in male mice with T/t ^w genotypes from natural populations in crosses with females from laboratory collections. The TRD value varied in the range from 0.41 to 0.74. The frequencies of t haplotypes in natural Mus musculus populations from different regions (Moscow, Moscow oblast, Tajikistan, Lithuania, and Mongolia) varied from 12% (Tigrovaya Balka, Tajikistan) to 44% (Ulan-Bator, Mongolia). The factors and mechanisms determining a low frequency of t haplotypes in natural populations are discussed.