New areas of work related to search of large deposits of hydrocarbons in DDD

Based on the research of geological structure, gas content, and facies analysis of reservoir formations of Kobzivske gas condensate field a forecast was made for distribution of the lithologically screened traps to search for natural gas deposits in Lower Permian - Upper Carboniferous build-ups on the monoclinal slope s of Zhovtneva area and Hryhorivskyi depression. The recommendations for 3D seismic surveys are justified, and the forecasted gas resources of prospective targets are estimated

Концентрація ТБК-активних продуктів у плазмі крові щурів при розвитку та гальмуванні росту карциноми герена

Content of TBA-active products in rat’s blood plasma was investigated during the Guerin carcinoma development and introduction of cis-platine and cluster Rhenium substances with organic ligands. It was shown that Rhenium substances had essential antioxidant effects and changed the dynamics of a tumor growth. It was drawn the conclusion on importance of further in vivo experimental investigations of the Rhenium substances with cluster fragment and organic ligands in an organism of changed redox state.Досліджено вміст ТБК-активних продуктів у плазмі крові щурів при розвитку карциноми Герена Т8, введенні цис-платину та кластерних сполук ренію з органічними лігандами. Показано, що сполуки ренію мають значний антиоксидантний ефект і змінюють динаміку розвитку пухлини. Зроблено висновок про перспективність використання сполук ренію, які містять кластерний фрагмент і органічні ліганди, для подальших досліджень in vivo при зміненому редокс-статусі організму.Досліджено вміст ТБК-активних продуктів у плазмі крові щурів при розвитку карциноми Герена Т8, введенні цис-платину та кластерних сполук ренію з органічними лігандами. Показано, що сполуки ренію мають значний антиоксидантний ефект і змінюють динаміку розвитку пухлини. Зроблено висновок про перспективність використання сполук ренію, які містять кластерний фрагмент і органічні ліганди, для подальших досліджень in vivo при зміненому редокс-статусі організму

Citicoline affects serum angiostatin and neurospecific protein levels in patients with atrial fibrillation and ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is considered as one of the most frequent and severe complications of atrial fibrillation. The present study was undertaken to examine whether post-insult treatment with cytidine diphosphate-choline (CDP-choline, or citicoline) affects serum levels of the angiogenesis inhibitor angiostatin and neurospecific proteins as markers of brain damage in patients with cerebral ischemia associated with atrial fibrillation. Thirty-three patients with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke received citicoline sodium by intravenous infusions (1,000 mg daily for 14 days) in addition to the standard treatment (basic group). Twenty-five patients with the same pathologies, who received only standard therapy, were enrolled in the study as a control group. Serum content of angiostatin and neurospecific proteins, namely neurofilament heavy subunit (NF-H) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), was measured by immunoblotting at the basal level and after the treatment. Citicoline treatment caused significant decreases in serum levels of angiostatin (by 40% vs. basal level, P < 0.05), GFAP (by 61%, P < 0.01), and the NF-H subunit (by 19%, P < 0.05) and had no effect on the serum albumin content. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences between baseline levels of the studied protein markers and their content after the treatment period in the control group. These findings indicate for the first time that CDP-choline protects both astrocytes and neurons and improves angiogenic capacity through down-regulation of angiostatin in post-ischemic patients with atrial fibrillation after acute ischemic stroke. Further studies are needed to test associations between serum levels of these biomarkers, clinical outcomes, and treatment efficacy of stroke

Identification of the binding site for plasminogen kringle 5 in the α-chain of fibrin(ogen) D-fragment

The interaction of the fifth kringle of Glu-plasminogen with fibrin triggers activation and initiation of fibrinolysis, yet the site on fibrin that binds kringle 5 remains unknown. The aim of our work was to determine an amino acid sequence in the D-fragment of fibrin(ogen) molecule, which is complementary to the lysine-binding site (LBS) in kringle 5. We studied the interaction between kringle 5 of plasminogen with polypeptide chains of the D-fragments of fibrin and cyanogen bromide fragments FCB-2 and t-NDSK and showed that kringle 5 bound specifically to α- and γ-chains of the D-fragment and the α-chain of FCB-2. Tryptic peptides of D-fragment α-chain were obtained, separated by their ability to bind with the immobilized kringle 5, and then all studied peptides were characterized by MALDI-TOF analysis. The critical amino acid residues of the α-chain of D-fragment, which provide its interaction with kringle 5, turned out to be α171Arg and/or α176Lys. The binding site of Glu-plasminogen complementary to the LBS of kringle 5 is located within Аα168Ala−183Lys, a sequence in a weakly structured loop between two supercoils in the α-chain of the D-fragment of the fibrin(ogen) molecule

High thiamine dose restores levels of specific astroglial proteins in rat brain astrocytes affected by chronic ethanol consumption

Long-term ethyl alcohol consumption induces a deficiency of essential nutrient thiamine (vitamin B1 ) and profoundly impairs metabolic processes in nervous tissue, resulting in structural and functional alterations in the central nervous system (CNS). This study was performed to evaluate protective effects of thiamine acute dose on the level of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a sensitive marker of astroglia, and B1-related enzyme thiamine pyrophosphokinase (TPK) activity in brain of rats chronically exposed to ethanol. The rats were divided into three groups as follows: i) control group; ii) rats given 15% ethanol solution as drinking water for 9 months (EtOH group), iii) EtOH rats given thiamine per os in a dose of 2.0 mg/kg one day before experiment termination (n = 4 in each group). GFAP levels were analyzed in cerebellum, brain cortex and hippocampus by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Brain TPK activity was measured with the use of the yeast apopyruvate decarboxylase apoenzyme (apoPDC). Thiamine concentration in liver was estimated with the use of thiochrome method. It was demonstrated that GFAP content was dramatically reduced in all studied brain regions of EtOH-exposed rats (approximately by 60%, P < 0.05) compared with control rats indica­ting profound astroglial dysfunction. Thiamine treatment was shown to recover GFAP levels up to 80% vs. control value in the brain of EtOH-exposed rats (P < 0.05). Ethanol consumption resulted in 3.7-fold decrease in liver thiamine content and 1.4-fold decrease in brain TPK activity, as compared with control (P < 0.05). Thiamine treatment of EtOH-exposed rats significantly elevated B1 liver level, however, had no effect on brain TPK activity. Our data suggest that thiamine deficit can play an important role in alcohol-induced damage to brain astroglia. It is emerged that high-dose thiamine administration can represent effective treatment option against chronic effects of ethanol impact on brain structures

Interaction of actin with plasminogen/plasmin system: mechanisms and physiological role

In the present review, we have summarized and analyzed the literature data concerning cooperation between multifunctional proteins, the components of plasminogen/plasmin system and actin. The mechanisms underlying intermolecular interactions and the role of plasminogen kringle domains in protein-protein recognition are reviewed. A particular attention is paid to extracellular actin that serves as a surface protein of plasma membrane in various cells. A putative role of surface actin as the universal «non-hemostatic» center of plasminogen activation is discussed. The exposition of cytoskeletal actin on the outer surface of cellular membrane is thought to be a phenomenon, which is involved in both normal cell functioning and development of pathologies. In particular, the mechanism of plasminogen fragmentation on the surface of cancer cells mediated by actin, which results in generation of endogenous suppressors of tumor growth and metastazing (angiostatins), is described. It has been acknowledged that the plasminogen/plasmin system in concert with surface actin regulates releasing biologically active substances, e. g. catecholamines. The comprehensive assessment of plasminogen/plasmin system and surface actin exposition is proposed to be a criterion of functional status of cells and can be used as a diagnostic parameter at various pathologies

Plasminogen and angiostatin levels in female benign breast lesions

It is known that benign breast tissue exhibit relatively low angiogenic capacity. Activation of angiogenesis in mammary pre-malignant lesions could be associated with disease progression and high risk of transformation into the breast cancer. However, insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in angiogenesis regulation in non-cancerous breast pathologies is still poorly defined. The purpose of the present study was to determine levels of plasminogen and its proteolytic fragments (angiostatins) in mammary dysplasia (mastopathy and breast cyst) and benign neoplasms (fibroadenomas). Plasminogen and angiostatins were analyzed using immunoblotting and quantified by densitometric scanning. The significant increase in plasminogen levels was found in fibrocystic, cysts, and non-proliferatious fibroadenoma masses (4.7-, 3.7-, and 3.5-fold, respectively) compared to healthy breast tissues (control). In the same benign lesions, 6.7-, 4-, and 3.7-fold increase in plasminogen 50 kDa fragment (angiostatin) levels as compared with control were also observed. Activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9, which was detected using gelatine zymography, could be responsible for plasminogen cleavage and abundance of angiostatin in fibrocystic and cyst masses. In contrast, dramatic decrease of both plasminogen and angiostatin levels (3.8- and 5.3-folds, respectively) was shown in tissues of proliferatious form of fibroadenoma in comparison with that of the dormant type of this neoplasm. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that angiostatin, a potent vessel growth inhibitor and anti-inflammatory molecule, can play a crucial role in pathophysiology of non-cancerous breast diseases. Further studies are needed to evaluate potential diagnostic and clinical implications of these proteins for prediction and therapy of benign breast pathologies