FOXP3, IL2R, CD8A and RORγ gene expression in peripheral blood leukocytes of healthy people and patients with arterial hypertension

Impaired balance of T regulatory and T effector lymphocytes has recently been considered as an important pathogenetic link in arterial hypertension (AH). There are, however, contradictory literature data about contents of these cells in the patients with hypertension, or obtained in experimental animal models of induced hypertension. Most results about changed patterns of immune cells in cardiovascular diseases were obtained by means of flow cytometry. There are also some works on expression of genes encoding surface and cytoplasmic differentiation antigens of immune cells in the patients with cardiovascular pathologies. These results coincide with the data obtained with flow cytometric techniques. Purpose of the present study was to analyze of the levels of gene transcripts encoding differentiation markers of regulatory (FOXP3, IL2R) T cells, effector T subpopulations (T helpers 17 (RORγ), and CD8 lymphocytes (CD8A) in healthy subjects and the patients with arterial hypertension (stages I-II). We examined healthy individuals (40 people, 20 men and 20 women), 27 patients with hypertension who did not receive antihypertensive therapy (14 men and 13 women), 26 hypertensive patients taking β-adrenergic receptor blockers (metoprolol or bisoprolol), including 12 men and 14 women. The relative levels of transcripts in peripheral blood leukocytes were assessed by real-time RT-PCR. It was shown that the transcriptional activity of FOXP3, IL2R, RORγ, and CD8A genes in peripheral blood leukocytes of the diseased people was significantly higher than in healthy individuals (p < 0.01). This finding may indicate an increased number of circulating T regulatory lymphocytes, CD8+ cells and T helpers 17 in hypertensive patients, and activation of T cell immunity in these patients. There were no statistically significant gender differences in FOXP3, IL2R, RORγ and CD8A gene expression in leukocytes, both in the group of healthy people and in hypertensive patients. The patients receiving cardioselective β-adrenergic receptor blockers (metoprolol and bisoprolol) exhibited lower expression of these genes, thus, probably, indicating antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of these drugs

The relationship of the carriership of allelic variations in rs2228145 (A > C) of the<i>IL6R</i> gene with the levels of <i>VCAM1</i> and <i>ICAM1</i> gene transcripts in patients with essential hypertension

The levels of plasma interleukin 6 and its soluble receptors were found to be elevated in subjects with cardiovascular diseases, which points to amplification of the IL-6-mediated trans-signaling pathway in cells and the development of chronic inflammation. The allelic variation in the rs2228145 IL6R gene is associated with a change in the contents of the soluble and membrane-bound receptor forms mediating the biological activity of IL-6. Cytokine IL-6 is involved in the development of endothelial dysfunction by regulating the expression of the VCAM1 and ICAM1 genes, encoding intercellular adhesion molecules. Prior to this work, no data on the association of essential arterial hypertension (EAH) with rs2228145 allelic variations of the IL6R gene have been reported. The aim of our work was to study the relationship of the carriership of rs2228145 (A &gt; C) allelic variations with the development of EAH and the VCAM1 and ICAM1 transcript levels. We analyzed samples of DNA isolated from the whole blood of 148 healthy donors and 152 patients with EAH (stages I-II). The genotyp-ing was performed by PCR-RFLP. The level of transcripts in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) was assessed by real-time PCR. Differences in the frequency distributions of rs2228145 (A &gt; C) genotypes between the control group and the group of patients with EAH (χ2 = 9.303) were found. The frequency of the CC genotype in EAH patients was higher than in healthy people (0.191 and 0.095, respectively). The risk of EAH (I-II stages) development was shown to be 2.3 times higher in CC genotype carriers as compared to individuals with other genotypes (OR = 2.257, 95 % confidence interval 1.100-4.468). The levels of VCAM1 and ICAM1 gene transcripts in PBL of patients with EAH were significantly higher than in healthy people. The level of ICAM1 gene transcripts was almost 4 times higher in patients with CC genotype. The Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance revealed an effect of rs2228145 (A &gt; C) genotype on the transcriptional activity of ICAM1, which argues for its role in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and essential hypertension

Tensiometric estimation of material properties of tissue spheroids

Tissue spheroids have been proposed to use as building blocks in biofabrication and as bioinks in 3D bioprinting technologies. Tissue fusion is an ubiqious phenomenon during embryonic development. Biomimetic tissue spheroid fusion is a fundamental constructional principle of emerging organ printing technology because closely placed tissue spheroids could fuse into tissue and organ-like constructs in fusion permissive bioprintable hydrogel. From physical point of view tissue spheroids could be considered as a visco-elastic-plastic soft matter or complex fluid. We hypothesize that quantitative estimation of material properties of tissue spheroids using tensiometry could predict their tissue spreading and tissue fusion behavior as well as provide a powerful insight about possible speed of post-printed tissue and organ-like constructs compaction and maturation. Tissue spheroids from human fibroblasts, ovine and human chondrocytes and immortalised human keratinocytes have been biofabricated using non-adhesive cell culture plates (Corning, USA). For estimation of material properties of tissue spheroids commercial tensiometer Microsquisher have been emploied (CellScale, Toronto, Canada). Modulus of elasticity of tissue spheroids have been calculated based on peformed tissue compression tests. In order to identify structural determinants of material properties of tissue spheroids standard perturbants of cytoskeleton such as Cytochalasin D (Sigma, USA) for disruption of microfilaments and Nocodazole (Sigma, USA) for disruption of microtubules have been used. Viability of tissue spheroids have been also estimated and their morphology have been analysed using light microscopy, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, semithin sections stained wih toluidine blue and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Kinetics of tissue spheroids spreading on electrospun polyurethane matrices have been analysed. Kinetics of two closely placed tissue spheroids fusion have been analysed in hanging drop. Additionally toxic effect of water solution of paramagnetic gadolinium salt (Omniscan®, GE Health Care, USA) on material properties of tissue spheroids have been investigated. It have been demonstrated that material properties of tissue spheroids biofabricated from different cell types have different modulus of elasticity. Even tissue spheroids biofabricated the same cell types but from different species have different material properties. Incubation with Cytochlasin D dramatically reduces estimated material properties of tissue spheroids. Incubation with Nocodazole does not significantly change material properties of tissue spheroids. Material properties of tissue spheroids from chondrocytes (chondrospheres) correlates very well with increasing deposition and accumulation of extracellular matrix (confirmed by expression of collagen type II and glycosoaminoglycans). The incubation with toxic concentration of gadolinium solution dramatically reduces material properties of chondrospheres. There is no any significant correlation between material properties of tissue spheriods and their spreading kinetics. However, there is a certain correction between material properties of tissue spheroids and their tissue fusion kinetics. Our data demonstrate that beside already well established role of cell adhesion receptors such as cadherin and integrins in the realisation of cell cohesion inside tissue spheroids the structural determinants of material properties of tissue spheroids also include components of cytoskeleton such as actin micofilaments and accumulated extracellular matrix. It is possible to predict post-printing tissue fusion behaviour of tissue spheroids based on preliminary estimation of their material properties. Finally, it have been also shown that material properties of tissue spheroids correlate with their viability. Thus, tensiometry is a valuable method for systematic characterization of material properties of tissue spheroids and for prediction of tissue spheroids post-printed tissue fusion behaviour

SYNOPSIS AND PROSPECTS OF AUTOIMMUNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT WORLDWIDE (AFTER THE MATERIALS OF THE 11th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS IN LISBON, MAY 16-20, 2018). PROCEEDING I: FIRST ACADEMY OF AUTOIMMUNITY

A review article is an aftermath of the 11th International Congress on Autoimmunity and First Academy of Autoimmunity, happened 14th to 20th May, 2018 in Lisbon. The first part of paper discusses the formation, main problems and prospects for the development of Autoimmunology as a new integral branch of fundamental and clinical Medicine engaged in the research, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of autoimmune diseases of various organs and systems, totally circa 90 of them. A summary of all lectures conducted during the Academy of Autoimmunity is given, including a discussion of the newest and controversial aspects of the development of the modern concepts of the immune system, autoimmunity and autoimmune pathology. Article reviews data on the current problems of Immunology associated with the use of large databases of clinical and laboratory findings and extrapolation of animal experimentation data to humans. The newest ideas about congenital immunity, including the populations of innate lymphoid cells, on the role of various groups of receptors of the innate immunity system, on the participation of the mechanisms of innate immunity in pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders are highlighted. Modern concepts of antigen presentation are offered, including classification of dendritic cells, alternative pathways of macrophage activation, as well as on costimulatory and inhibitory interactions of ligands and receptors of lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. The latest data about the subpopulations of T lymphocytes and their role, including the functions of Tfh cells and the relationships of these subpopulations with various immune responses are highlighted. Influence of microbiota on T cell subpopulations is discussed. The main regularities of the phenomenon of immunological memory are formulated. The questions of antibody production and B lymphocyte functions are considered taking into account recently discovered mechanisms of intracellular penetration of immunoglobulins and details of affinity maturation of lymphoid clones. The new therapeutic approaches in the treatment of autoimmune diseases associated with influences on B and T lymphocytes are described. Mechanisms of central and peripheral autotolerance have been highlighted, taking into account data on the function of the AIRE gene and T regulators. The role of T regulators in placentation is considered. The role of interleukin-2 and its recombinant analogues in immune interactions is interpreted in a new way, taking into account not only their immunostimulating, but, under certain conditions, immunosuppressive potential also. Considerable attention has been paid to the inhibitory receptors of T lymphocytes and to immuno-biotherapeutic effects on them. The history and current status of Oncoimmunology and the use of blockers of inhibitory T lymphocyte receptors in Oncology, including the side effects of treatment with check-point inhibitors, are briefly discussed. Information was given on the held on 21-23 September 2018 2nd Academy of Autoimmunity in St. Petersburg

Protective effects of Derinat, a nucleotide-based drug, on experimental traumatic brain injury, and its cellular mechanisms

Traumatic brain injury is the most common cause of death and disability in young people including sport athletes and soldiers, people under 45 years of age in the industrialized countries, representing a growing health problem in developing countries, as well as in aging communities. Treatment of the latter is a serious challenge for modern medicine. This type of injury leads to many kinds of disorders and, quite often, to disability. These issue require development of new methods for brain trauma treatment. The new approach to brain trauma treatment was studied in murine experiments. In particular, sodium salt of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was used. This preparation is a drug known as a mixture of peptides with immunomodulatory effect which is widely used for different kinds of therapy. Derinat, a sodium salt of DNA, isolated from the caviar of Russian sturgeon, is a proven immunomodulator for treatment of diseases associatd with reactive oxygen species (ROS), including brain ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Here we show that treatment with Derinat exert neuroprotective, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects in experimental model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. Intraperitoneal injection of Derinat several times over 3 days after TBI showed less pronounced damage of the injured brain area. Immunohistochemical study showed that the Derinat-induced morphological changes of microglia in cerebral cortex and hippocampus 7 days after TBI. TBI-induced accumulation of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), the marker of oxidative damage, was significantly attenuated by Derinat administration, both on 7th and 14th day after TBI. To investigate cellular mechanism of anti-inflammatory effects, the primary cultures of murine microglia supplied with ATP (50 M and 1 mM), as a substance released at injured site, were used to mimic the in vitro inflammatory response. Derinate treatment caused an increase of glial levels of mRNAs encoding neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the presence of ATP, whereas tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) mRNA was inhibited by ATP with or without Derinat. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression was not affected by ATP but was increased by Derinat. Both mRNA and protein levels of ATP-induced TNFα production were significantly inhibited by Derinat. These results partially contribute to understanding mechanisms of immunomodulatory effects of DNA preparations in traumatic brain injury

Detection of membrane-bound proteases of Francisella tularensis

Sterile preparations of membrane fractions were prepared by processing of live Francisella tularensis cells of different subspecies with 4.5 M urea solution and differential centrifugation. For the first time, proteolytic activity was detected and studied by tests of radial enzyme diffusion and substrate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using gelatin as a substrate. Spectrum of gelatinases in the resulted preparation were detected. Quantitative inter-strain differences in the protease activities and their qualitative composition in membrane preparations of various virulent F. tularensis strains was analyzed. Avirulent F. tularensis 21/400 subsp. holarctica (1-214) strain demonstrated the greatest gelatinase activity in enzyme diffusion method and the lowest hydrolytic activity was seen in F. tularensis B-399 A-Cole subsp. tularensis (1-386) and F. tularensis Utah 112 subsp. novicida (1-384), other preparations showed intermediate activity. Enzyme electrophoresis in the protease spectra determined the presence of proteins with proteases activity 50-100 kDa, and in the spectrum preparations of F. tularensis 1-386 and 1-384 were detected additional bands of proteases

Comparative assessment of modern parameters of glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes after switching to fast-acting insulin aspart using Flash Glucose Monitoring in real clinical practice

BACKGROUND: Postprandial hyperglycaemia contributes significantly to the lack of glycaemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). At least a quarter of patients forget to inject insulin before meals once a week, and more than 40% of them inject bolus insulin immediately before meals, which does not correspond to the pharmacokinetic effects of ultrashort insulins and determines the need to use insulins with better imitations of physiological insulin secretion.AIM: To assess the effect of fast acting insulin aspart (FIAsp) on the current parameters of glycaemic control in children with DM1 after switching from insulin Asp (iAsp) using continuous glucose monitoring.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter observational 12-week prospective open-label uncontrolled comparative study was initiated. A group of insufficiently controlled patients were identified (n = 48) including a group on multiple insulin injections therapy (MII) (insulin degludec and IAsp) and a group on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) of iAsp. Three 14-day flash glucose monitoring (FMG) were performed: before transferring patients to FiAsp and after 2 and 12 weeks of the transfer. Key endpoints: HbA1c after 2 and 12 weeks on FiAsp relative to baseline, analysis of 5 FMG target glucose ranges, presented as an ambulatory glycemic profile. Additional indicators: dynamics of insulin daily dose, frequency of glucose self- monitoring, the number of severe hypoglycemia, adverse events that occurred during treatment.RESULTS: 2 weeks after the transfer from IAsp to FIAsp, TIR increased in the entire group of patients: from 53% [44.3; 66.5] to 57% [47.4; 71.0] (p-value = 0.010) and TAR decreased from 38% [24.8; 50.2] to 30.5% [22.0; 45, 0] (p-value = 0.0124). Maintaining and increase time spent in the target glucose ranges during a 12-week observation period, in parallel with a significant decrease in hypoglycemic episodes &lt;3.9 mmol / L per week, on FIAsp therapy naturally leads to an improvement in diabetes control: a decrease in HbA1c from 8.15% up to 7.75% (p-value = 0.0224), more pronounced in the group of patients on CSII — from 7.9% to 7.5% (p-value = 0.028).CONCLUSION: Switching from IAsp to BDIAsp in routine clinical practice in the MII and CSII regimen in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes allows achieving better glycemic control compared to the previous generation prandial insulin analog Iasp. The better diabetes control is associated with an increase or a trend towards an increase in TIR and a decrease or a trend towards a decrease in TAR and TBR, as well as a significant decrease in episodes of hypoglycemia

COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF IMMUNOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF WHITE MICE IMMUNIZED BY CELL WALL OF DIFFERENT SUBSPECIES OF FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS

At present, development of effective vaccines of new generation is an actual problem, in particular concerning the tularemia causative agent. It determines the need to search antigen determinants with high immunogenic activity. Some authors demonstrate that outer membrane proteins of Francisella tularensis possess immunological activity. This fact gave occasion to isolation and comprehensive study of F tularensis cellular envelopes as a perspective component in vaccine engineering. The influence of cell walls of F. tularensis was studied for morphological changes in immunocompetent organs of experimental animals. Cell walls were obtained from three virulence strains of living cultures: F. tularensis subsp. mediaasiatica А-61, F. tularensis subsp. nearctica В-399 A-Cole, F. tularensis subsp. holarctica 306 and vaccine strain F. tularensis subsp. holarctica 15 (extracted by Research Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene). Cell walls of different subspecies of F. tularensis stimulate the production of antibody forming cells and cell proliferation more in T-dependent zones of lymph nodes and spleen. It has been determined that these antigen preparations do not cause stress reaction of the experimental animal organisms. Basing on the findings, we made a conclusion that there is a need for further detailed investigation of immunogenic properties of CE F. tularensis subsp. holarctica 306, F. tularensis subsp. mediasiatica А-61 and F. tularensis subsp. tularensis B-399 A-Cole as perspective components in development of tularemia vaccines

Prognostic factors for tuberculosis development in children with latent tuberculous infection

Goal of the study: to detect specific immune response in children with latent tuberculous infection and define factors to forecast the development of the active disease in this group.Materials and methods. The changes in clinical, X-ray and immunological data were analyzed in 127 children when latent tuberculous infection was diagnosed and after 12 months of follow-up. The number of immunological tests was done for evaluation of humoral and cellular immunity in those suffering from latent tuberculous infection and active disease.Results. The obtained results showed high negative prognostic relevance of exposure to tuberculosis, concurrent disease, refusal to have preventive treatment and low efficiency of short-course preventive treatment, specific features of humoral and cellular immunity were defined which could be used as additional forecasting criteria for active tuberculosis development in children with latent tuberculous infection

INFLUENCE OF HLA-DRB1* ALLELIC SETS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN

According to the WHO data, tuberculosis still represents a serious public health problem worldwide. Deterioration of socio-economic conditions in the population complicates epidemic situation for tuberculosis inRussia, thus leading to increase in acute progressive and complicated forms of tuberculosis in children and, consequently, to worsening structure of its clinical forms. Objectives: to determine associations between certain HLA-DRB1 alleles and risk of tuberculosis development in children. We examined 188 children aged from 3 to 14 years with various manifestations of tuberculous infection. Along with thorough examination of the patients, including multi-spiral CT scans of chest, we undertook genotyping of HLA-DRB1 alleles. Activity of tuberculous infection was determined by a set of immunological tests, i.e., tuberculin skin test, DIASKINTEST® (recombinant allergen of tuberculosis DIASKINTEST®). X ray diagnostics was performed with multi-spiral «Aquilion-32» computed tomograph (Toshiba), according to standard procedures. Molecular genetic typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP), using standard commercial kits PROTRANS Ceclerplate System Protrans HLA-DRB1*. The children were divided into two groups: I group, 90 healthy children, II group, 98 children with tuberculosis. A comparisons group consisted of healthy donors (n = 346). Statistical processing of genetic material included evauation and analysis of the following parameters: frequency distribution of the antigen (F), χ2 criterion for significance (chi-square), the relative risk ratio (RR), etiologic fraction (EF), preventive fraction (PF). Children of the II group had significantly higher *04 allele HLADRB1*, as compared with control group (36.7% vs. 21.1%, χ2 = 10.08; р &lt; 0.01). This finding may suppose a predisposal of these allele carriers to development of tuberculosis. At the same time, the rates of *07 (14.3% vs. 27.5%, χ2 = 7.15, р &lt; 0.01) and *15 (18.4% vs. 28.3%, χ2 = 3.92; р &lt; 0.01) HLA-DRB1* alleles were significantly lower, thus suggesting a protective effect of this allele. *04 allele seems to be a predisposing factor, whereas *07 and *15 alleles are protective for development of tuberculosis in children