Polarization of macrophages of mice under the influence of lectin from Bacillus subtilis IMV B-7724

Macrophages (Mph) are highly plastic cells that are able to change their functional activity (polarization) and perform their functions in different physiological and pathological processes (including cancer). Changes in the functional activity of Mph can occur due to the action of a number of external stimuli (cytokines, colony-stimulating factors, products of microbial synthesis, etc.). The aim of the research was to study the effect of lectin from B. subtilis IMV B-7724 on the state of macrophage polarization in intact mice of the Balb/c strain. The cytotoxic effect of lectin from B. subtilis IMV B-7724 on the peritoneal Mph of intact Balb/c mice was evaluated in vitro; indices, characterizing the functional activity of Mph with M1 and M2 phenotypes and the levels of STAT-1 and STAT-6 mRNA expression, were determined. We have shown that the effect of bacterial lectin on peritoneal Mph is concentration-dependent: ≥0.1 mg/ml is cytotoxic while 0.02 and 0.05 mg/ml is stimulating. At low concentrations of lectin there is observed a significant increase in the ratio of NO production to the arginase activity of Mph (NO/Arg), which is characteristic of Mph with the M1 phenotype. Changes in the expression of STAT transcription factors under the influence of the lectin were similar to the changes, found under the combined action of LPS and IFN-γ on Mph. The detected changes in the functional activity of peritoneal Mph of intact mice under the influence of low concentrations of the lectin may be due to the changes in the expression of transcription factors of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Understanding the mechanisms of action of lectin from B. subtilis IMV B-7724 on Mph will open new perspectives for their modulation/polarizatio

Expression pattern of MRPS18 family genes in medulloblastoma: a case report

Medulloblastoma is one of the most prevalent brain tumors in children. Due to alterations in the gene expression patterns, medulloblastomas display diversity in the transcriptional, genetic, and clinical markers. However, these markers are few. Hence, there is an urgent need for other molecular, preferentially, non-invasive markers to propose the personalized treatment. One of the putative markers can be the mitochondrial ribosomal protein MRPS18-2. Purpose: In the present work we aimed to study expression of the MRPS18 family genes at mRNA and protein levels, in serum and tissue of the medulloblastoma.  Materials and methods. To do so, a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to assess the relative expression of RB and MRPS18 family genes at mRNA levels in patient sera and tissue. Protein signals were detected by immunohistochemistry. The relative expression of MRPS18 genes was lower, when assessed in serum of the tumor patient compared with the control. Results. Thus, MRPS18-1 expression level, detected in serum, is up to 8.5-folds lower than in the control sample, while in tissue it is quite similar in both samples. The MRPS18-2 gene was detected at up to 26-fold lower levels in the serum of the tumor patient. Importantly, MRPS18-2 and MRPS18-3 are elevated by 13- and 7.2-fold, respectively, in tumor tissue, compared to the control. Moreover, the MRPS18-2 protein signal is dramatically elevated in medulloblastoma cells, compared with the conditionally healthy brain tissue. Concluding, the members of the MRPS18 protein family, especially MRPS18-2, are the putative candidates for molecular prognostic markers. More experiments should be done on a study on this family, and on a large cohort