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Osmoresistance and the erythrocytes membranes deformity were studied in 62 patients, suffering an acute mechanical ileus, using lectin LPM. The lowering of indices, comparing with such in normal conditions, was established. While applying lectin, in tumoral ileus, in difference with nontumoral affection, the reduction of the erythrocytes membranes deformity was trustworthy (P < 0.01). In favourable course of postoperative period osmoresistance and deformity had approximated to normal values; in purulent complications occurrence the indices values had become poorer, these changes were strictly revealed using lectin. The method may be used for estimation of the treatment efficacy and the disease course prognosis.

beta-Endorphin in vivo produced different effects on antibody production depending on the administered dose. Blockade of opioid receptors with naloxone (but not naltrindole) abolished the effects of beta-endorphin. The peptide activated IL-4 production in vitro via activation of delta-opioid receptors.

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were exposed to 60Co gamma-rays (a dose of 3 Gy) and cultivated during seven days in the presence of PHA and BrdU. It was shown that the metaphases of the first and second mitosises occurred during cultivation of the irradiated and unirradiated lymphocytes, being evidence about of irregularity of the coming into division of various fractions of lymphocytes. The time of cultivation did not influence a rate of aberrations in metaphases of the first and second mitosises of the irradiated lymphocytes. During the first and the subsequent mitosises the number of exchange chromosome aberrations decreased and reached a control level in metaphases of the fourth and fifth mitosises. The number of paired fragments at second and third mitosises increased a little and started to decrease only in metaphases of the fourth and fifth mitosises. The decrease in chromosome aberrations with prolongation of the cultivation of lymphocytes after irradiating is a consequence of elimination of cells with chromosome damages during sequential mitotic divisions.

Effects on human immune system of visible and infrared (IR) radiation, the dominating types of solar light on Earth, still remain poorly studied. In the present work, a small area of the volunteers' body surface was irradiated with polychromatic visible + IR polarized (VIP) light, whose spectral range is close to the natural one (400-3400 nm, 12 J/cm2), and spontaneous and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced DNA syntheses were studied by radiometric method in lymphocytes (Lym) of peripheral blood. This Irradiation stimulated both spontaneous and PHA-induced DNA synthesis in Lym but only in volunteers with initially decreased parameters of synthesis (on average, by 2.5 and 2.7 times, respectively), which was recorded 24 h after irradiation of volunteers, and after a 72 h cultivation of separated mononuclears. In the parallel experiments, blood of each volunteer was irradiated in vitro. Besides, by modeling situation in vivo, when a small amount of transcutaneously photomodified blood contacts its much larger circulating volume, the irradiated and non-irradiated samples of autologous blood were mixed at a 1:10 volume ratio. In Lym with the initially decreased synthesis level, the spontaneous synthesis elevated by 2 and 3 times, respectively, whereas stimulation of PHA-synthesis was observed only after addition of the irradiated blood to the intact one (by 2.2 and 1.6 times, respectively). A high degree of positive correlation in changing the studied parameters is revealed in irradiation of blood in vivo and in vitro. This makes it possible to associate the light-stimulating effect on Lym of the entire circulating blood with transcutaneous photomodification of its small amounts, and with action of such blood on the rest of blood. A similarity in the direction and additivity of mitogenic effects of VIP light and PHA was revealed. The obtained data enable us to suggest that therapy employing polychromatic visible and IR light would promote presumably an increase in the number of Lym in peripheral blood and an enhancement of their response to antigenic stimulus.

The investigation yielded two modifications of the procedure FOR determination of T-lymphocytes' functional activity in microsamples of the finger capillary blood and PHA-assisted cultivation of cells in syringe for subsequent morphological analysis by cosmonauts in flight. Testing of the proposed modifications in 14 healthy donors with unconstrained work/rest schedule, 4 volunteers in 60- and 6 volunteers in 120-day HDT showed a rather high comparability of data obtained with the modified and genuine procedures for determination of the T-lymphocytes proliferative activity in cosmonauts before and after orbital flights. Thus, the modified procedures can be successfully used for monitoring the immune status of cosmonauts on missions, and individuals exposed to extreme environments.

Comparison of the results of blast transformation test and enzyme immunoassay of interleukin-1 in the blood serum and culture fluid demonstrated that assessment of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-effected level of proliferative activity of lymphocytes is more informative for the diagnosis of manifest forms of HIV infection. Combined addition of PHA and indomethacin to cell culture by shifting the balance between prostaglandin E and interleukin-1 helps assess the contribution of macrophages to the development of HIV infection.

The delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test was run with autologous modified lymphocytes, treated with phytohemagglunin, in 218 patients suffering different lung diseases. The three following groups were identified: lung cancer, chronic non-specific disease of the lung and benign lesions in the lung. Cancer patients proved positive to autologous modified lumphocytes in 90.4%. Skin reaction was close to normal in the other groups. Skin reaction dynamics was compared in cases of recurrence and recurrence-free patients in the group of surgical treatment for lung cancer.

A model of experimental nephritis in Wistar rats has been used to show that the pathology mentioned induces sharp morphofunctional changes in the parenchyma of the kidneys. At the same time the state of the T-link (lymphocyte blasttransformation response to phytohemagglutinin) and B-link (a titre of serum antirenal antibodies) of the immunity were studied. It is shown that development of experimental nephritis is accompanied by intensification of the lymphocytic response to phytohemagglutinin and renal tissue antigenes with a simultaneous increase of a titre of antirenal antibodies. To correct these damages a complex of polypeptide substances isolated from the kidney parenchyma was applied. The results obtained demonstrate a normalizing effect of this complex on lymphocyte activity. A conclusion is made on possible tolerogenic action of substances of this complex.

Skin reaction on phytohemagglutinin in healthy people and in patients with allergic bronchial asthma before and after specific hyposensitization has been studied. The attempt to determine interrelations between the skin sensitivity to phytohemagglutinin and some immunity indexes and to explain several links of lectins' action mechanisms during allergic processes have been made.

Parameters of systemic immunity, activity of cation proteins of neutrophilic granulocytes and individual blood serum proteins were studied in two groups of patients: with newly diagnosed (83) and chronic destructive pulmonary tuberculosis (105). Four levels of T-lymphocytes were established per their absolute content in 1 ul of the peripheral blood, which had different interconnection with cell response intensity to mitogenic PHA stimulation and the values of the lysosomal cation++ test in both groups of patients. Indications for the prescription of immune active preparations based upon the T-cell level and, when necessary, supplemented by information related to the values of BTR with PHA and BTR with PPD were developed for both groups of patients independently of hereditary consolidated serum proteins.

A combined immunologic examination included 67 patients with concurrent lung pathology (tuberculosis with pneumonia), 64 with tuberculosis and 71 with pneumonia. The relation of the immune status to the pattern of the process was demonstrated proceeding from the findings. Pneumonia in the abatement phase had no influence on the immunologic parameters of a tuberculosis patient. Acute pneumonia combined with tuberculosis was marked by suppressed T-lymphocyte functional and specific activity, increased counts of T-suppressors and the presence of antituberculous antibodies. It was found that the newly developed diagnostic tables can be used effectively for differentiating the combined pathology from the uncomplicated tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Nineteen patients with pancreatitis and 40 with pancreatic carcinoma were examined for certain immunological characteristics (immunoglobulins, immune complexes, PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation) and for the level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 19-9 depending on blood bilirubin. Hyperbilirubinemia was identified in 21 patients with carcinoma and in 3 suffering from pancreatitis. Both patients' groups manifested an increase of the IgA level. Especially high characteristics were seen in hyperbilirubinemia. The level of other class immunoglobulins and immune complexes did not depend on blood bilirubin. The patients demonstrated suppression of PHA-induced lymphocyte response by autologous plasma, with more remarkable suppression being observable in hyperbilirubinemia. The level of CEA or CA 19-9 was increased in 89% of the patients with pancreatic carcinoma and in 30% of pancreatitis patients. No relationship was recorded between the level of oncofetal antigens and blood bilirubin.

Tests were conducted to analyze a blastogenic response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in autoserum and bovine serum and the hormone level of blood of the second-type diabetes patients. The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between a blastogenic response to PHA in the autoserum medium on the one hand and the T4 level and insulin on the other hand. There is a negative correlation between the first factor and the glycemic index and the duration of disease. There is no correlation between a mitogenic response and the examinees' age. The blood insulin level also correlates with a mitogenic response of lymphocytes in bovine serum. The examination of patients in the compensation stage suggests a negative correlation between a cortisol level and the stimulation index logarithm of a mitogenic response in bovine serum. This correlation did not exist in cases of decompensated diabetes.

Phospholipase A2 activity in the postnuclear supernatant of lymphocytes has been studied by measuring 14C arachidonate released from labelled phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidyl choline (PC) as exogenous substrates. The pH optimum was 7.5-9.0 for PE and 9.0 for PC. Phospholipase A2 was not detected in the presence of 2 mM EGTA. It was optimal with the millimolar calcium concentrations and higher towards PE. Preincubation of lymphocytes with 0.5 M ionophore A-23187 was followed by 2.4 fold stimulation of the phospholipase activity. A stimulatory effect was observed after preincubation of cells with 10 micrograms/ml of phytohemagglutinin, lipopolysaccharide, concanavalin A; it decreased as: lipopolysaccharide greater than phytohemagglutinin greater than concanavalin A. The results obtained have suggested the possibility of existence of different forms of phospholipase A2 in the spleen lymphocytes and participation of the enzyme in the early signalling events.

Examined were 18 practically healthy subjects and 23 patients with chronic persisting hepatitis. The reaction of blast transformation of leucocytes was carried out in all subjects using PGA and thymalin. The method of cytometry used for evaluation of RBTL permits to reveal at early stages reduction of the functional activity of lymphocytes.

Blood and bone marrow tumor cells from 50 patients with acute leukemias (36 were with nonlymphoblastic and 14 with lymphoblastic variants) were examined in terms of cell capacity for stimulating allogeneic lymphocytes in a unidirectional mixed lymphocyte-blast culture (MLBC) and action of the PHA-induced proliferative response of donor's lymphocytes on combined 96-hour cultivation. Blast suppressors inhibiting lymphocyte stimulation in response to PHA by as much as 43-99% were not recognized by allogeneic lymphocytes in MLBC, which was not related to occasional coincidence according to HLA antigens. These patients (n = 21) turned out resistant to chemotherapy. The mechanisms of interrelations between tumor and the immunocompetent system of patients with acute leukemia and the relationship with the results of chemotherapy are discussed.

Potassium (rubidium) influx, sodium and potassium contents, as well as size distribution, DNA and protein contents and synthesis have been examined in PHA-activated human lymphocytes within 0.5-72 h. A complex set of ionic events was found to include at least two stages of the increase in potassium and sodium contents per g cell protein and in ouabain-sensitive potassium influx which are preceded by a decrease in potassium content by almost 17% within the first 2-5 h. The kinetics of potassium and sodium changes has own pattern for each of cations, thus indicating definite changes in the ouabain-resistant transport of potassium and sodium during the G0----G1----S progression. The late increase in potassium content per g cell protein was found to correlate with the growth in cell size. This finding confirms the rule which was stated earlier for other animal cells, i. e. cells that prepare to proliferate are to raise their potassium per g cell protein up to the level of 0.8-1.0 mmole (Vereninov. Marakhova, 1986).

Highly purified chorionic alpha-microglobulin was isolated from amniotic fluid by precipitation with lantham chloride, ammonium and lithium sulfates coupled with adsorption chromatography with calcium pyrophosphate. The following physicochemical properties of the protein were determined: molecular weight, relative electrophoretic mobility, interaction with protamine sulfate and lectins, enzymatic stability and precipitation with salts.

Content and distribution of carbohydrates in structure of alpha 2-glycoprotein, related to pregnancy, were studied by means of chemical analysis and affinity immunoelectrophoresis. The data obtained using both these procedures correlated well. Affinity immunoelectrophoresis could be used in studies of the carbohydrate components in crude preparations of glycoproteins, whereas chemical analysis was more effective for highly purified preparations.

We made a quantitative electron microscopic investigation of rat blood lymphocyte chromatin on cell sections in the early period of action of phytohaemoagglutinin (PHA). According to the dynamics of binding of acridine orange to chromatin, there were chosen time lapse after the beginning of stimulation of cells. In one hour of PHA action when the binding of acridine orange is intensified two-fold the total area of profiles of condensed chromatin was not changed, however, the area of membrane-free chromatin profiles was simultaneously diminished by 36%. At that period, the packing of DNP-fibers of condensed chromatin loosened. After 1.5 hr, parallel to a noticeable decrease of binding of acridine orange, there were observed tendencies for restoration of area of chromatin profiles and partial diminishing of relative distances between DNP-fibers. In 6 hrs, the binding of acridine orange was sharply intensified, which was accompanied by a decrease by 26% of the total area of chromatin profiles at the expense of diminishing of perimembranous chromatin. At the same time, the low-electron--density regions of condensed chromatin were enlarged, and the packing of DNP-fibers was strongly loosened.

A dose dependence of the number of cells with chromosome aberrations was studied in PHA-stimulated donor's peripheral blood lymphocytes irradiated in vitro with doses of 10-400 cGy. In studying the number of chromosome aberrations and percentage of cells with micronuclei in parallel cultures no correlation was found between these indices within the groups exposed to a similar radiation dose.

The action of various doses of PHA and Con A on 3H-thymidine incorporation in DNA of blood lymphocytes was studied in health and schizophrenia. The dose-response curves in schizophrenia treated with various doses of PHA and Con A lie beneath the respective curves characteristic for the cells from normal subjects. The most discriminant results with respect to the proliferative activity of lymphocytes of the two groups were obtained in the course of administering low doses of the stimulants. In schizophrenic patients, the shift of the optimal dose towards higher concentrations was seen both for PHA and Con A.

The paper is concerned with the functional activity of blood lymphocytes in the reaction of blast-cell transformation encountered in 17 patients with disseminated sclerosis and in 17 normal donors. The synthesis of lymphocyte DNA was measured by the radioisotope method and its increase under the impact of PHA. The stage of exacerbation of the disease was characterized by a significant increase of the DNA synthesis under the impact of DNA compared to the remission stage. The same regularities were found in the same patients examined both in the stage of remission and exacerbation. A higher degree of increased DNA synthesis under the impact of PHA is assessed as an index of lymphocyte sensitation. The possible role of lymphocyte sensitation in the pathogenesis of exacerbations of disseminated sclerosis is discussed.

Results of examining the reaction of lymphocyte blast transformation to phytohemagglutinin, brain and cerebrospinal fluid antigens in 160, and of the intracutaneous test with phytohemagglutinin in 150 patients with craniocerebral injuries are presented. After the phytohemagglutinin stimulation the nonspecific delayed hypersensitivity in the patients was found to be lowered, while the specific one (induced by the brain or cerebrospinal fluid antigens) increased. These changes depended mainly on the severity of brain injury and time of examination.

The kinetics of the induced process of normal and exposed human lymphocytes to DNA synthesis and mitosis has been analyzed in detail. It was shown that the capacity of the exposed lymphocytes of repeated entering the phase of DNA synthesis was sharply decreased and the average length of the prereplicative period increased.

T--enriched lymphocyte fraction from normal donors was isolated from heparinized peripheral blood on Ficoll-Urotrast gradients. The mitogenic response of T-lymphocytes in culture was 3 times as high as that of unseparated mononuclear cells. The intensity of blast transformation to PHA did not correlate with the increase of T-lymphocytes in culture. These data suggest that cells of not T-origin may be the limiting factor during mitogenic response of T-lymphocytes to PHA.