Creatine Protects against Excitoxicity in an In Vitro Model of Neurodegeneration

Creatine has been shown to be neuroprotective in aging, neurodegenerative conditions and brain injury. As a common molecular background, oxidative stress and disturbed cellular energy homeostasis are key aspects in these conditions. Moreover, in a recent report we could demonstrate a life-enhancing and health-promoting potential of creatine in rodents, mainly due to its neuroprotective action. In order to investigate the underlying pharmacology mediating these mainly neuroprotective properties of creatine, cultured primary embryonal hippocampal and cortical cells were challenged with glutamate or H2O2. In good agreement with our in vivo data, creatine mediated a direct effect on the bioenergetic balance, leading to an enhanced cellular energy charge, thereby acting as a neuroprotectant. Moreover, creatine effectively antagonized the H2O2-induced ATP depletion and the excitotoxic response towards glutamate, while not directly acting as an antioxidant. Additionally, creatine mediated a direct inhibitory action on the NMDA receptor-mediated calcium response, which initiates the excitotoxic cascade. Even excessive concentrations of creatine had no neurotoxic effects, so that high-dose creatine supplementation as a health-promoting agent in specific pathological situations or as a primary prophylactic compound in risk populations seems feasible. In conclusion, we were able to demonstrate that the protective potential of creatine was primarily mediated by its impact on cellular energy metabolism and NMDA receptor function, along with reduced glutamate spillover, oxidative stress and subsequent excitotoxicity

Dominant types of corporative structure

There are four types of corporate culture today - innovative, snobbish, traditional and forced. The article is devoted to the analysis of snobbish and traditional corporate cultures as the most wide-spread

Влияние специфической гипосенсибилизации на количественное содержание популяций и субпопуляций лимфоцитов у больных атопической формой бронхиальной астмы

The influence of hyposensitization by specific allergen on populations and subpopulations of lymphocytes in 24 patients with atopic dust bronchial asthma were investigated. The determination ofsurface lymphocyte antigens has been carried out using the monoclonal antibodies of the home series LT. It was show, that specific hyposensitization accompanied with significant increased of CD8+ lymphocytes subpopulation in peripheral blood and normalized immuregulatory index. This effect was independent of clinical results.The result obtained confirm the important role of activation suppressor T-lymphocytes in development of effect by specific immunotherapy in allergic diseases.Изучали влияние гипосенсибилизации специфическими аллергенами на популяции и субпопуляции лимфоцитов 24 больных атопической астмой с сенсибилизацией к аллергенам домашней пыли. Поверхностные антигены лимфоцитов определяли с помощью моноклональных антител серии ЛТ. Показано, что специфическая гипосенсибилизация, независимо от клинических результатов, сопровождается достоверным повышением абсолютного и относительного содержания субпопуляции CD8+—лимфоцитов в периферической крови и нормализацией иммунорегуляторного индекса (отношения CD4/CD8 лимфоцитов).Полученные результаты подтверждают важную роль активации супрессорных лимфоцитов в развитии эффекта специфической иммунотерапии при аллергических заболеваниях