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Content of different cytokines (IF alpha, TNF alpha, IL-1 alpha, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10) was examined in the blood serum in two groups of healthy children-siblings with type 1 diabetes mellitus with and without revealed insulin autoantibodies against pancreatic islets (GADA, IA-2A and IAA) by enzyme-like immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In the group of patients with two and more revealed autoantibodies the higher indices in the number of IF alpha, TNF alpha and IL-6, and the decrease in the level of IL-4 comparing with the group of children with negative reaction to diabetes associated autoantibodies were more often observed.

A study was made of the influence of high radiation contamination within the ten-kilometer zone of Chernobyl disaster on the structure and function of the immune system of (DBA x C57B1)F1 and DBA mice. The cumulative radiation doses with respect to gamma-radiation, were 0.024, 0.168 and 0.336 Gy. T-lymphocyte proliferation was shown the be activated with all radiation doses mentioned above but with doses of 0.024 and 0.168 Gy, helper T lymphocytes, and with 0.336 Gy, suppressor N-lymphocytes were primarily activated. So, in the former case, some effector functions of the immunity were activated, and in the latter, inhibited. It is concluded that certain hyperstimulation of the lymphoid cell formation (including the increase in T-suppressors), that is induced by long-term exposure to low-level radiation, triggers the mechanisms of autonomous regulation of the system that suppress the radiation-induced lymphocyte proliferation and inhibit the effector functions of the immunity.

Triboluminescence (TrL) is optical radiation, arising at the expense of energy of free radical oxidation (in mechanochemical influence) and electrophysical processes in the cell membranes of blood. Under the influence of immunization a decrease of cell membrane polarization is observed. Administration of thymic agents (vilosen and tactivin) into intact and immunized animals decreases the TrL intensity as well, that could be considered as manifestation of their antioxidant effects.

The expression of antigen Thy-1 was studied in bone marrow cells of CBA line mice under the effect of thymus extracts. Extracts of the calf thymus--thymosine (fraction 5) and the preparation free of the Comsa factor were obtained by a combination of the Goldstein and Comsa extraction methods. The both extracts stimulate the expression of antigen Thy-1 in bone marrow cells. Incorporation of [14 C]sodium acetate into fragments containing antigen Thy-1 and absorbed by the column with anti-Thy-1-antibodies remains unchanged after stimulation. It is supposed that antigen Thy-1 ability to stimulate expression in bone marrow precursors of T-cells is not due to the synthesis of the antigen and is a property of one of the thymus factors with molecular mass of about 5000.

Two peaks of spontaneous chemiluminescence (SHL), registered at a time of mass cell death (minutes 5 and 55), were detected in a suspension of intact thymocytes during a complement-depending cytotoxic test (CDCT) with anti-theta-serum. The second peak disappeared in suspensions irradiated with doses of 4, 6, 8 and 10 Gy; as the dose increased the first peak appeared at earlier times after irradiation (1-2 min), and cells died more rapidly. As to intact bone-marrow cells of a lymphoid series, a stimulatory effect of thymosin on the theta-antigen expression was detected during CDCT with a reference to the increased quantum yield of SCL. After irradiation of the suspension (6 and 8 Gy) cells died more rapidly and SCL peak appeared earlier. When CDCT was conducted 15 min after irradiation of rats (6 Gy) incubation with thymosin influenced the appearance of the peak at earlier times after irradiation.

CBA-thymocyte receptors responsible for autologous rosette formation were found to inhibit specific cytotoxicity of antibrain antibody to thymocytes. The receptors isolated by heating at 45 degrees C in isotonic solution were investigated by chromatography on immobilized antibrain antibody, after absorption on the column with immobilized normal rabbit IgG. Three fractions were obtained. Only one of the fractions eluted from the immobilized antibrain antibody was found to inhibit cytotoxicity of rabbit anti-CBA-brain antibody for CBA thymocytes. It is supposed that the antibrain antibodies have an affinity not only to antigen Thy-1 but also to other structures of the thymocyte plasma membrane.