Vol 10, No 4 (2015)

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, etc. affect 20-25% of elderly population, making this one of the main problems of modern society. Data accumulating during recent years certify that neurodegenerative diseases are related to disorders of not only structures on central nervous system, but of peripheral tissues and organs as well. In particular, dysfunction of peripheral excitable structures of neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems was established. These disturbances can play significant role in pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, contributing to development of pathological processes underlying disability and death of patients (skeletal muscle atrophy and paralysis, myocardium infarction, etc.). Pathology of neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems in neurodegenerative diseases is not just “reflection” of degenerative changes in central nervous system, but particular, virtually unexplored aspect of pathogenesis of these maladies Peripheral dysfunctions in neurodegenerative diseases can be primary or amplifying degenerative processes in central nervous system, which further increases their importance in the development of the disease . In this paper, we conduct a detailed review of available literature and our own data on the dysfunction of the peripheral excitable structures in neurodegenerative diseases, and the role of these disorders in pathogenesis and clinical course of these pathologies

Diabetes mellitus is a global problem of modern medicine All over the world scientists are study this disease in order to find new and effective therapies Numerous studies in recent years show very important role of glucagon, a hormone produced by α-cells of pancreas, in the pathogenesis of hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus. The review analyzed current ideas about the features of the formation and differentiation of α- and β-cells of the pancreas. Particular attention is given to α-cells population and their role in the development of hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus.

We prepared an experimental sample of gelatin based cryogel membrane with pore size of 50-150 μm. Confocal microscopy and LDH assay showed that the cryogel macroporous structure promotes migration and proliferation of human skin fibroblasts within the matrix in vitro. To assess in vivo effect of the cryogel an excision wound model in rats was tested The cryogel significantly increases the number of fibroblasts as well as the density and order of produced collagen fibers in the dermis to day 7 of the wound healing process. The results suggest the stimulating effect of the gelatin cryogel on fibroblasts activity and demonstrate its potential for skin regeneration

Certain neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson and Alzheimer, are characterizing by an impairment in mitochondrial function and biogenesis, which may lead to pathological changes in the central nervous system. From this putative link stems a growing interest in changes to the mitochondrial electron transport chain and the ensuing energy dysfunction in neuronal cells and connective tissue cells under normal and pathological conditions Fibroblasts involved in the formation of microenvironments of different types of specialized cells from the nervous system and their dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of disease as well. In this regard, we have obtained stressful conditions of human dermal fibroblasts approximating of the pathological phenotype observed in Parkinson's disease. Was studied the expression and activity of the protein complexes of the mitochondria respiratory chain including translocase TOM20 under inhibition of NADH dehydrogenase and maintaining of oxidative stress

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which is characterized by specific pathomorphological changes in brain including hippocampus One of prospective direction in development of approaches for treatment of Alzheimer's disease is use of gene-cell technologies In present work we studied the possibility to stimulate neurogenesis at hippocampus of APP/PS1 transgenic mice by transplantation of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells transduced with adenoviral vector overexpressing recombinant glial neurotrophic factor (GDNF). Effectiveness of therapy was evaluated basing on immunoexpression of stem and progenitor cells (using antibodies against doublecortin and nestin) in different hippocampal areas Analysis of obtained data showed that transplantation of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells overexpressing glial neurotrophic factor or enhanced green fluorescent protein stimulates processes of neurogenesis at hippocampus of transgenic mice with Alzheimer's disease model, certifying high therapeutic potential of these gene-cell constructs

Nanocomposite material applied in dental practice treatment is subjected to mechanical abrasion with the release of material’s fine particles, including nanoparticles, which are able to produce a specific biological effect on patient body’s tissues and cells. I the present research we studied the cytotoxicity of 3MTMESPETMFiltekTMUltimate nanocomposite particles at concentration ranging from 10 to 0. 009 mg/ml employing human lung carcinoma cell culture (A549). Linear dependence of nanocomposite particles’ action on survival and functional activity of the cells was shown. The crucial concentration of cytotoxicity should be considered as 0. 313 mg/ml. At 0.156 mg/ml or below this concentration the tested substance had no toxic effect on A549 cells Considering the possible negative effect of nanocomposite particles released during the material abrasion on cells we suggest limiting application of the studied nanocomposite material on the surfaces subjected to intensive mechanical impact leading to high abrasion

Diarrhea is one of the most frequent adverse events of H. pylori eradication therapy due to a violation of the intestinal microflora The aim of the study was to assess intestinal microflora content in H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative patients, as well as the effect of eradication therapy on its qualitative and quantitative composition 78 stool samples were used for analysis: 34 samples from H. pylori-positive patients before eradication therapy, 34 - from the same patients after completion of eradication therapy, 10 samples from H. pylori-negative patients (control group) A total deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated from the stool samples by phenol extraction method, a nucleotide sequence of the isolated DNA was established by shotgun sequencing method Composition of intestinal microflora community was evaluated based on the number of species, the qualitative composition and diversity Shannon index. Statistical analysis and visualization of the analysis results were carried out in R medium Bacteroides, Prevotella, Eubacterium, Roseburia, Faecalibacterium and Clostridium were predominant genus in all groups of faecal samples, however, representation variability of the prevailing phyls (Bacteroides and Firmicutes) was lower in the control samples than in H. pylori-positive patients before and after eradication therapy Eradication therapy resulted in reduction of the Coprococcus, Bifidobacterium, Collinsella genera representation and increase in the number of Clostridium, Bacteroides, Coprobacillus and Flavonifractor. In about half of the patients eradication therapy leads to a decrease of both the number of species and the Shannon index, which indicates a decrease in the overall diversity and, consequently, reduction of the stability of community, with a possible predominance of individual species. These results suggest that changes in the intestinal microflora composition after H. pylori eradication therapy are individual and caused by initial condition of the intestinal microbiota with a predominance of its particular representatives

Tescalcin plays an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of certain cell types. It is involved in the signaling pathways of mitogen-activated protein kinase and is reported to directly interact with subunit 4 of COP9 signalosome and Na/H exchanger NHE1. Since tescalcin is one of the factors that allow one type of progenitor cells differentiate into a variety of specialized cell types, it can be a potential molecular tool for modulation of phenotype of target cells. The ability of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) to differentiate into osteogenic direction makes them a promising adult stem cell type for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Here we show that ADSCs with tescalcin overexpression had a significantly higher level of matrix mineralization compared with control ADSCs. This finding indicates that ectopic tescalcin overexpression might affect osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs.

Chronic liver diseases of different etiology are the problem of the modern medicine. Nowadays is held an active search for new methods of treatment for these diseases using stem cells and methods of gene-cell therapy. One of the cell types, thought to be progenitor cells of the liver, - hepatic stellate cells. Previously was shown the possibility of hepatic stellate cells to differentiate into the cells with hepatocytes phenotype after transplantation into the rats with partial hepatectomy. In this work we studied rat liver regeneration on the same model of liver damage after transplantation of the hepatic stellate cells, transduced with therapeutic genes of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) in combination with tracer gene of red fluorescent protein (RFP). The results of the survey demonstrated that transduction of the hepatic stellate cells with these genes facilitates engraftment of the transplanted cells and their further differentiation into hepatic direction, that was confirmed by a large number of hepatocytes, expressing tracer gene RFP, as well as a large number of α-fetoprotein positive hepatoblasts in compare to the animals, that had transplantation of cells, transduced only with tracer gene

The apoptosis of lymphocytes was examined in 10 infants with late neonatal sepsis induced by Klebsiella pneumoniae Most of the infants (70%) were preterm. Control group consisted of 7 healthy newborns. Apoptosis analysis was examined by counting the numbers of hypodiploid cells by using a propidium iodide (DNA staining procedure and flow cytometry analysis. We observed an elevated numbers of apoptotic cells in all cases of neonatal sepsis Median of lymphocyte apoptosis was 18 1% on day 5 of cell culture, whereas in control patients it was up to 7,8%. Absolute lymphopenia was observed in 30% of cases with neonatal sepsis. The activity of lymphocyte apoptosis was not associated with quantitative baseline of C-reactive protein (Spearman R = 0,48, p = 0,18). Acute phase of neonatal sepsis induced by Klebsiella pneumonia is associated with an increased apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes

Nowadays gene and cell therapy methods for liver diseases treatment are being actively developed. Genetic modification of cells could be an approach that considerably increases the therapeutic potential of transplanted cells. It is assumed that the genetic manipulation, particularly obtaining and application of cells, that express and overexpress therapeutic factors, could reduce the therapeutic dose of transplanted cells and noticeably enhance therapeutic effects of these cells. However, it remains unclear, how genetic modification influences on cellular phenotype, in this case hepatic stellate cells, and what kind of therapeutic effect will give these cells after transplantation into the organism. The aim of our work was to study the phenotype of hepatic stellate cells after genetic modification by the adenoviral vector Ad5-optHGF-optFGF-4-RFP in vitro and in vivo and after subsequent transplantation into the rats with partial hepatectomy. As a result, it was confirmed that transplantation of hepatic stellate cells, transduced with therapeutic genes, has a positive influence on the process of liver regeneration while the morphology and phenotype of cells remain unchanged. So, we can make a conclusion of safety of this method for use in regenerative medicine

It is well known that modern non-invasive methods for registration of functional activity of skeletal muscles in vivo due to technical reasons reflect amplitude and temporal parameters of muscle contractions not better than in vitro approaches The aim of present study is to register and compare parameters of single and tetanic contractions of different types of skeletal muscles of warm-blooded animals in vitro and under minimally invasive surgery in vivo. It was found that single muscle contractions in vitro and in vivo indistinguishably close to each other, whereas frequency of tetanus fusion and waveform of tetanic contractions are different.