The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, is unprecedented for the 21st century and has already affected countries with a total population of billions of people. The number of infected has already surpassed 30 million people and the number of deaths has exceeded 1 million. Unfor-tunately, Russia is still one of the five countries with the largest number of infected people, although mortality from COVID-19 is significantly lower than in many other countries. Since the virus and the pathogenesis caused by it have a lot of new and unexpected features, high-tech and specific anti-viral drugs and vaccines have not yet been created. The most promising targets for future drug development are enzymes necessary for the life cycle of this particular virus (such as components of the replicase complex or viral proteases). Unexpected circumstances are pushing the evaluation of a number of previously developed and existing drugs directed toward other RNA viruses, some of which have already been shown effective in clinical trials against SARS-CoV-2. There is no doubt that soon prototypes of drugs of this class with higher specificity and effective-ness will be found. Another group of potential drugs are known drugs that are directed against various aspects of the pathogenesis caused by SARS-CoV-2, in particular, cytokine storm or coagulopathy. It should be emphasized that the genome of the virus encodes about 10 additional proteins, some of which may be related to unusual aspects of pathogenesis during COVID-19. Basic research should determine which of these proteins can be targets for specific therapy. Finally, the fact that neutralizing antibodies are found in the blood plasma of many patients and can be used for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, indicates the potential of using recombinant neutralizing antibodies as drugs, and secondly, confirms the possibility of creating effective vaccines. This mini-review discusses therapeutic approaches and the status of clinical trials using drugs that already existed before the pandemic and were originally developed against other infectious agents or for the treatment of autoimmune pathologies. These drugs are part of today's arsenal in therapeutic protocols and are used in an attempt to cope with the COVID-19 epidemic in different countries.

IL-7 is a key factor for the survival and maintenance of CD4⁺ central (Tcm) and effector (Tem) memory cells in the whole body. In many autoimmune diseases, an elevated level of IL-7 is detected in blood serum and at the site of inflammation, thus suggesting participation of this homeostatic factor in the survival of memory T cells, including auto-reactive clones, in inflammatory disorders. The aim of the study was to investigate the mechanisms of maintaining CD4⁺ memory T cells under normal and inflammatory conditions. We developed an in vitro model of inflammation, based on induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and then evaluated the effects of IL-7 upon purified sorted populations of CD4⁺Tcm and Tem under normal conditions and in vitro inflammatory model. IL-7 treatment promoted maintenance of CD4⁺Tcm phenotype in all variants of cultures. In the absence of contact with adherent cell fraction, the IL-7-induced proliferation of Tcm and Tem was slightly reduced, both under normal and inflammatory conditions, thus suggesting low sensitivity of memory T cells to contacts with MHC, and, probably, a requirement for additional signals to provide complete stimulation with IL-7. The last suggestion is also supported by data about CD127 and CD132 expression, i.e., in the absence of contact with MHC, the proportion of CD127⁺CD132⁺ cells was decreased in both subpopulations of CD4+ memory cells. Upon in vitro cultures, IL-7 contributed to decreased expression of CD127, and increased expression of CD132 on CD4⁺Tcm and Tem. We have evaluated the CD4⁺Tcm and Tem populations by affinity of T cell receptor (TCR), using the level of CD5 expression. Т cells with high TCR affinity for self-antigens are known to have higher expression of CD5. In comparison to Tem, the Tcm contained more CD5^high cells. In cultures, IL-7 promoted a high level of CD5 expression on Tcm, which was comparable to levels observed in peripheral blood cells. High CD5 expression on Tem was observed after stimulation with IL-7 in the in vitro inflammatory model. In the absence of contact with MHC, the number of CD5high cells decreased among CD4⁺Tem and Tcm. Thus, CD4⁺Tcm cells with high affinity for autologous antigens are probably dependent on the presence of homeostatic factors, in particular, IL-7, and contacts with antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Under conditions of inflammation, no changes were revealed in the mechanism of maintaining CD4⁺Tcm, in contrast to CD4⁺Tem. Being less dependent on IL-7 under normal conditions, CD4⁺CD5^highTem are accumulated in the presence of IL-7 under in vitro inflammatory conditions.

The process of apoptosis is known that play an important role in cellular homeostasis, and the altered cell death may lead to development of pathological disorders. Evolving autoimmune conditions, in particular, rheumatoid arthritis, are associated with decreased rates of apoptosis as a form of programmed cell death. The aim of this study was to evaluate expression of activation and proliferation markers on T lymphocytes during initiation of apoptotic cell death under the conditions of “cell neighborhood” in healthy individuals and patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients and methods. The study was performed with blood samples of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy women of comparable age. During the study, we conducted experiments aimed to identify the in vitro influence of non-stimulated apoptosis-induced cells, as well as aCD3^- and dexamethasone (Dexa)-stimulated apoptosis-induced cells upon autologous T lymphocytes cultured under physiological conditions. Development of a “cell neighborhood” model, i.e., co-cultures of CFSE^- T cells subjected to incubation under crowding condition and depletion of the culture medium which is the most physiological variant of apoptosis activation, and CFSE⁺ autologous cells placed in the complete culture medium, has revealed some relationships. We have revealed an opportunity of secondary induction of early and late apoptosis by means of humoral and cellular components of autologous cell culture subjected to activation apoptosis. We determined the features of apoptosis in unstimulated, as well as aCD3^- and dexamethasone-stimulated cultures, compared with controls. There were no differences in these parameters of apoptosis between RA patients and healthy people for all variants of cultures. An increased proportion of viale cells was found in the CFSE^- culture of patients with RA when compared to donors. The donor group had more lymphocytes with activation parameters CD25⁺, CD69⁺ and low level of proliferation marker Ki-67 than patients. In contrast to healthy, the RA patients demonstrated a significantly increased expression of Ki 67 in T lymphocytes when co-culturing CFSE^- and CFSE⁺ cells. An increased number of living cells in apoptotic cultures of patients with RA relative to healthy people, in absence of significant differences in the parameters of apoptosis and activation markers in dynamics, as well as pattern of changes in the Ki-67⁺ cell contents suggested a contribution of the non-autonomous effects of apoptosis to cellular homeostasis in RA patients.

Over recent years, the number of patients with tuberculosis has not decreased in the country and in worldwide. This is due to high resistance of the pathogen and changing mechanisms of bacterial perception by the human immune system thus requiring closer examination of the issue. Cell fusion during the formation of pulmonary tuberculous granuloma involves a large number of adhesive events. Importance of α1β1 integrin has been shown for the granuloma integrity during the chronic phase of infection. It has been proven that pulmonary tuberculous granuloma should be monitored, including with the detection of cells expressing CD11c, since they support the continuous priming of T cells at different stages of infection. The aim of this study was to answer the question, if there is a different expression of integrin receptors by immune cells from the patient’s peripheral blood at different stages of the existence of pulmonary tuberculous granuloma? The study involved 38 people: the first group (control) consisted of 15 practically healthy people; a second group included 11 subjects with pulmonary tuberculous granuloma; the condition was first diagnosed 2 to 10 months before the present study. A third group consisted of 12 patients with pulmonary tuberculous granuloma, with primary diagnosis established 12 to 219 months before this study. All the participants underwent a general clinical blood tests using a 5 Diff Mythic 22 AL analyzer (Cormay, Poland). The adhesion markers CD11b, CD11c were detected with a Coulter Epicx XL instrument (Beckman Coulter, USA). The following peripheral blood cell populations were determined: CD14- CD13lowCD11b⁺, CD14^- CD13^lowCD11c⁺, CD14⁺CD11b⁺, CD14⁺CD11c⁺, CD45⁺CD3^- CD16⁺CD56⁺, CD45⁺CD3^- CD16⁺CD56⁺CD11b⁺. Statistical processing of the results was performed in the Windows 10 operating environment (Microsoft Corp., USA), using Statistica v. 12.5 software (StatSoft, USA). Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance (p_k-w), with differences significant at p < 0.017, as well as the Wald–Wolfowitz test (p_w-w) at a significance level of p < 0.05 were used as criteria for assessing differences between the compared groups. In addition, cluster and factor analysis were implemented. When studying the role of β₂-integrins, we have found that they play an important role in maintaining the existence of pulmonary tuberculous granuloma. An increase in total number of granulocytes, and CD11b-expressing granulocytes, a decrease in the population of lymphocytes, NK cells and NK cells expressing CD11c proved to be distinctive in cases of pulmonary tuberculous granuloma detected 0.5 years before the study. Characteristic changes observed in the study of peripheral blood in the patients with pulmonary tuberculous granuloma detected 9.5 years before the study were as follows: an increase in the leukocyte population, total monocyte number, as well as CD11band CD11c-expressing monocytes.

The purpose of this work was to study the relationships between urinary cytokines, mast cells and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Sixty-eight women with clinically diagnosed IC/BPS were under study. Their mean age was 54.2±12.4 years. Urinary concentrations of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and NGF were determined by ELISA technique. Mast cells were identified in biopsies of mucous membranes from urinary bladder harvested during cystoscopy. Statistical evaluation was performed by Statistica program in Microsoft Excel. Pearson correlation quotients were calculated. Depending on the type of IC/BPS, the patients were divided into 2 groups: group I included 36 patients with classic type of disease; group II comprised 32 patients with non-ulcer type of IC/BPS. No significant differences were revealed between the groups. In 13.9% of patients from group I, the onset of clinical manifestations of the disease was observed at the age of less than 40 years; in group II, 28.1% of the examined mentioned appearance of the disease symptoms at this age. The levels of IL-1β in the patients from group I was 2.4 times higher than in controls (p < 0.05). IL-6, IL-8 and TNFα concentrations exceeded control values by 2.0 (p < 0.05), 2.5 (p < 0.05) and 2.0 times (p < 0.05), respectively. In the patients from group II, the content of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNFα was 2.4 (p < 0.05), 2.0 (p < 0.05), 2.0 (p < 0.05) and 1.9 (p < 0.05) times higher than in the control group, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups I and II, in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα levels, except of IL-8 in women of group I that was 20.3% higher than in group II. The urinary NGF level in the patients with IC/BPS exceeded the control level 1.6 times (p < 0.05) for group I, and 1.5 times (p < 0.05) for group II. The number of mast cells in the patients of group I was significantly higher than in controls and in group II, i.e., 1.6 (p < 0.05) and 1.4 times (p < 0.05), respectively. In most cases, a direct weak correlation was revealed between the indices. Only in group I, a moderate correlation (r = + 0.508) could be detected between IL-1β and mast cells. Determination of cytokine levels allows to detect activation of inflammatory cells in bladder tissue and provides an opportunity for developing diagnostic strategies. Increased numbers of mast cells may indicate the importance of these cells in the disease progression, whereas elevated levels of NGF in urine suggests that IC/BPS may be caused by chronic inflammation.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationships between expression of activation and adhesion receptors on peripheral blood neutrophils, and intracellular activity of some neutrophil enzymes in patients with kidney cancer (KC). Patients and methods: the KC patients (n = 72) (T3N0M0, clear-cell type) were examined prior to surgical treatment at the Krasnoyarsk Regional Oncology Center. The diagnosis was verified histologically for all KC patients. The phenotype of blood neutrophils was studied using flow cytometry. The surface receptor expression levels of the neutrophils were evaluated by mean fluorescence intensity. NAD and NADP-dependent dehydrogenases activities in purified peripheral blood neutrophils were measured by bioluminescent method. Results: we have found that the phenotypic alterations in circulating KC patients’ neutrophils appeared along with inhibition of main intracellular metabolic processes and were closely linked with them. The features of the phenotypic imbalance in the neutrophils from KC patients were associated with a decrease in blood cells expressing adhesive (CD11b and CD62L) and functional (CD64 and HLA-DR) receptors. Moreover, the patient’s neutrophils expressed CD11b, CD16 and HLA-DR on their cell surface more intensively, than neutrophilic leukocytes from control group. These phenotypic changes in KC patients’ blood neutrophils occurred in parallel with pronounced decrease in immature cells numbers. The metabolic changes of neutrophil cytoplasmic compartment in KC patients were determined by a decrease in Glu6PDH activity (a key and initializing enzyme of the pentose phosphate cycle) and NADH-LDH (anaerobic glycolysis). Mitochondrial metabolism in neutrophils of KC patients was characterized by multidirectional changes in the activity of NAD- and NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenases (decreased activity of NAD-dependent and increased activity of NADP-dependent) and a decrease in NADH-MDH activity. The established features in mitochondrial enzymes activities suggest some disturbances of NAD-dependent processes that could lead to down-regulation of aerobic energy processes. We guess that the decreased activity of plastic and energy processes in blood neutrophils of KC patients could affect the receptor expression levels. By means of correlation analysis, we have found that the relationships in KC patients were determined by negative effects of NADHGDH and NADH-LDH activities upon expression of activation and adhesion receptors in blood neutrophils. Of these enzymes, only glutathione reductase activity in neutrophils from KC patients was positively linked with the CD23 and HLA-DR expression. Thus, an increase in activity of energy processes (e.g., coupling the tricarboxylic acid cycle to amino acid metabolism) in blood neutrophils from the patients with kidney cancer could stimulate expression levels of activation and adhesion receptors and potentially increase antitumor activity of neutrophils.

Chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer represent distinct steps of one pathogenic process. The risk of developing cancer of the stomach is directly proportional to the degree of atrophic changes simultaneously detected in antral segment and in the body of the stomach. The role of immune system in transformation of precancerous diseases into cancer is beyond doubt. During development of the malignant disease, the changes in lipid peroxidation systems – antioxidant defense become significant and contribute to the progression of the tumor and the development of metastases. A simultaneous study of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense indices along with phagocytic activity will allow us to evaluate relative contribution of these processes to development of chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer. Purpose of the present study was to assess correlations between the lipid peroxidation indices, i.e. antioxidant protection, and chemiluminescent activity of neutrophilic granulocytes and monocytes in chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer. Forty patients with chronic gastritis, 22 patients with chronic atrophic gastritis and 40 patients with gastric cancer were examined. The control group consisted of 50 practically healthy age-matched volunteers. Evaluation of spontaneous and induced production of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils and monocytes was carried out by chemiluminescent analysis. The parameters of lipid peroxidation/ antioxidant protection were determined by spectrophotometric methods. Statistical data processing was carried out using the Statistica v. 8.0 program (StatSoft Inc., USA). The normal distribution of indices was tested using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov method (adjusted by Lillefors). Quantitative indicators, given the normal distribution, were described using the median (Me) and interquartile scatter (Q_0.25-Q_0.75). To study statistical significance of differences between quantitative characteristics, the Mann–Whitney test was used. To study strength of relationships of these indicators, the Pearson rank correlation coefficient (r) was calculated. The critical significance level (p) when testing statistical hypotheses was taken equal to 0.05. Correlation analysis showed that the weight of positive correlations increases in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis, and it decreases in patients with gastric cancer, the strength of the correlation dependence and new relationships appear between chemiluminescent activity of neutrophils and monocytes in a spontaneous and induced state, and the amounts of malonic dialdehyde, enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. In chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer we have established the features of correlation patterns between lipid peroxidation/antioxidant protection indices, and activity of neutrophils and monocytes.

Bronchial asthma is a multifactorial disease, with both environmental factors and genetic predisposal affecting its development. A number of gene associations have been obtained between polymorphisms of cytokine genes produced by different types of immune cells and asthma development. Interleukin-13 is involved in allergic inflammation, increased bronchial hypersensitivity, regulation of eosinophil levels and IgE production by B cells, thus making it promising for studying IL13 gene polymorphisms in bronchial asthma coupled to development of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate possible association between asthma and IL13 rs1800925 polymorphism in the children of Caucasian origin in Eastern Siberia. Four groups of patients with asthma were examined (mean age 12.8±1.2 years): with a controlled (n = 95) and uncontrolled course (n = 107), with severe (n = 71) and moderate severity (n = 131) diseases. The control group consisted of healthy individuals: children (n = 33) and adults (n = 102). DNA was isolated with sorbent method; genotyping was carried out using RT-PCR using specific oligonucleotide primers and fluorescent TaqMan probes. The allele and genotype frequencies were compared by the χ-square test using an online calculator. The odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was performed to link genetic markers with pathological phenotypes. The CT IL13 rs1800925 genotype was shown to be associated with moderate asthma and cases of uncontrollable clinical course, whereas the TT genotype was associated with severe asthma. Thus, rs1800925 polymorphism of IL13 gene (the T* variant is known to be associated with increased IL-13 expression) may be associated with bronchial asthma in children. Our data are consistent with results of other authors. E.g., Liu Z. et al. revealed an association between rs1800925 IL13 and the risk of developing asthma in children, with CT and TT genotypes being more common in the patient group. Radhakrishnan A. et al., was studied rs1800925 IL13 in adult population of Malaysia and found that the T* allele frequency in the group of patients significantly exceeds the frequency of this allele in the control group. Thus, the results of our study showed that IL13 rs1800925 polymorphism is associated with bronchial asthma in children, especially, with level of its control and severity of the disease.

The prevalence of bronchial asthma has shown its steady increase in the world in recent years. Despite all the achievements of Allergology, control of the disease can be achieved only in two-thirds of patients even if all social risk factors and the influence of concomitant diseases are excluded. Thus, it is necessary to study endogenous factors that modify the pathogenesis of the disease. Toll-like receptors are the main molecules for recognizing pathogenic patterns in the human immune system. Since any Allergy is a recognition error, mutation of the genes of the recognizing molecules can have a direct and multidirectional effect on the nature of the inflammation and its clinical manifestations in bronchial asthma (BA). To detect this effect, 65 patients with BA were examined, and mutations of Toll-like receptor genes were detected: TLR2-Arg753Glu, TLR4- Asp299Gly, TLR4-Ghr399Ile, TLR9-T1237C, TLR9-A2848G, lymphocyte subpopulations CD3, CD19, CD4, CD8, CD16, phagocytosis indicators, levels of IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE and IL-6, IL-7, IL-9. The assessment of the severity of asthma and its level of control were conducted according to clinical recommendations of the Ministry of health of the Russian Federation in 2019 criteria. We have shown characteristic clinical manifestations of the studied mutations. A lighter course of the disease, more complete control over it and a better response to therapy were found in single-nucleotide substitutions in the Toll-like receptor 4 and 9 (TLR4-Asp299Gly, TLR4-Ghr399Ile, TLR9-T1237C, TLR9-A2848G). On the contrary, a heavier course and a worse response to therapy were detected in the TLR2 mutation with Arg753Glu replacement. In the studied groups, the features of immunity indicators characteristic of genotypes with a lighter and more controlled course of BA were determined: a higher absolute number of T-helpers, with multidirectional changes in the number of T-killers, but with invariably preserved higher ratio of CD4/CD8 in such genotypes. Higher levels of phagocytosis indicators (primarily characterizing chemotaxis) and IL-7, IL-9 were also detected. The exception is the TLR9-A2848G mutation, in which greater disease control and better response to therapy are combined with no changes in the studied laboratory characteristics. At the same time, a specific feature of the genotype of the studied patients with BA was revealed – a combination of Toll-like receptors 4 and 9 mutations. This suggests the presence of genetic patterns that characterize groups of patients with BA that differ in severity, response to therapy, and degree of control, which makes it possible to personalize approaches to diagnosis, prevention, and therapy of the disease.

Psoriasis (PS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are interrelated diseases that occur in approximately 30% of patients and are characterized by the presence of a systemic inflammatory reaction that occurs as a result of a violation of the functional state of the immune system. With the advent of new technologies, several new pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-23, IL-31, and IL-33, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of the psoriatic process, have been discovered and characterized. It was determined that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter regions of the IL23, IL31 and IL33 genes play an important role in controlling the expression of relevant cytokines involved in the immunopathogenesis of psoriatic disease. The purpose of the study: to analyze the distribution of genotypes and allelic variants of polymorphisms of the IL23A (rs2066808), IL23R (rs2201841), IL31 (rs7977932) and IL33 (rs7044343), in order to search for genetic markers of predisposition to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Materials and methods. The genotyping of the patients was conducted: psoriasis (PS, n = 77), median age 31.0 years (27.0-43.0), psoriatic arthritis (PsA, n = 99), median age 49.0 years (39.0-56.0) and practically healthy residents of Krasnoyarsk (n = 103), a median age of 32.0 years (24.0-38.0). DNA was isolated from whole venous blood using a standard sorbent kit. Genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms IL23A (rs2066808), IL23R (rs2201841), IL31 (rs7977932), IL33 (rs7044343) was carried out using real-time PCR using specific oligonucleotide primers and fluorescentlylabeled probes. Results and discussion. The frequencies of allelic variants of the studied cytokine genes in the control group obtained during the study correspond to their distribution in Caucasoid populations – the alleles IL23A * T, IL23R * T, IL31 * C, IL33 * C prevail. When comparing the distribution frequency of allelic variants of the IL23A, IL23R, IL31, IL33 genes, we did not obtain statistically significant differences between patients and the control group. Conclusions. Despite the fact that when comparing the distribution frequency of allelic variants of the IL23A, IL23R, IL31, IL33 genes, we did not obtain statistically significant differences between the patients and the control group, there are results worthy of attention. So, in patients with PS, the frequency of the C * IL23A allelic variant (rs2066808) is lower than in the population sample, which may indicate its specific role in relation to the development of the disease. All this dictates the need to continue research with the assessment of other SNPs and increase the sample of patients in search of potential genetic markers of psoriatic disease.

Treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) patients with comorbidities can be challenging due to adverse events and non-sufficient efficacy of modern drugs. A safe and effective alternative could be the methods of traditional medicine and their combinations. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of combination of curcuma-based parapharmaceutical preparation and acupuncture in metabolic phenotype of OA (MPOA). The trial design was pilot open-label “before – after” study with the duration of 12 weeks. The patients with MPOA received parapharmaceutical preparation Epigenorm Antivir in a daily dose of 1000 mg and underwent 15-20 sessions of classical acupuncture. We enrolled twenty three women with metabolic syndrome (MS), clinical and radiographic signs of gonarthrosis, mean age 66.5 years, mean body mass index 34.5. At the end of treatment there was a decrease in pain levels according to visual analogue scale (VAS) (before 65 (12.7), after 24.6 (21.0), р=0.001), WOMAC pain scale (before 210.6 (102.2), after 103 (80.8), p = 0.014), KOOS (before 47.8 (12.1), after 66.7 (16.2), р = 0.001). The treatment resulted in statistically significant improvement of daily and social activities, role functioning, and quality of life. The results were clinically significant as evidenced by the moderate (Cohen d > 0.5) and large (Cohen d > 0.8) effect sizes of most outcome changes in accordance with the Cohen classification. The clinical improvement was accompanied by the decrease in MS components – LDL cholesterol (before 3.26 (0.26) mmol/l, after 2.43 (0.2) mmol/l, р = 0.001), triglycerides (before 2.02 (0.16) mmol/l, after 1.31 (0.1) mmol/l, р = 0.005). The treatment resulted in the reduction of systemic inflammation as evidenced by the decrease in the concentrations of TNFα (before 15.9 (1.2) pg/ml, after 12.4 (0.8), р = 0.002), histamine (before 1.6 (0.2) ng/ml, after 0.7 (0.2) pg/ml, р = 0.034), IL-18 (before 208.8 (32.6 ) pg/ml, after 160.0 (26.0) pg/ml, р = 0.002) and CRP (before 6.05 (1.3) mg/l, after 3.2 (0.7) mg/l, р = 0.022). At the same time there was an increase of concentration of IL-10 (before 1.5 (0.7) pg/ml, after 3.8 (1.2), р = 0,006) and adiponectin (before 34.0 (5.6) pg/ml, after 40.0 (6.9), р = 0.034). The treatment was well tolerated, no serious adverse events were registered. The pleiotropic actions of combination treatment occured probably due to synergistic effects of herbal therapies and acupunctures. The results provide a rationale for larger scale, randomized controlled double-blind clinical trials.

Pathogenesis of retinal capillary hemangioma has not been sufficiently studied at the present time. Therefore, the study of cytokine levels in biological fluids seems to be very relevant in order to increase knowledge about the mechanisms of the disease development and searching for targeted therapies. The content of hematopoietic and vasoactive growth factors in blood serum, lacrimal fluid, and vitreous body was studied in patients with retinal capillary hemangioma. A total of 26 patients with retinal angiomatosis were examined. The samples of blood serum (n = 23) and lacrimal fluid (n = 10) from practically healthy people aged 22 to 46 (27.4±1.4 years) were used as a control. To perform comparative assessment of cytokine concentrations in the vitreous body of patients with retinal capillary hemangioma, were used samples of the vitreous body from 6 patients (average age 33±4.7 years; from 21 to 49 years) with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. To measure the cytokine concentrations, we applied multiplex analysis technique using the xMAP platform with LuminexxPONENT 3.1 program and ProcartaPlex sets (eBioscience, Austria). A detailed characteristic of vasoactive factors in capillary retinal hemangioma was obtained as a result of this work. Some disorders in chemokine regulation were identified. There was a significant increase in serum concentrations of three vasoactive factors, i.e., PDGF-BB, HGF, and PIGF-1, with a decrease in chemokines (MCP-1, MIP-1α, and MIP-1β). The frequencies of PIGF-1 and MIP-1α detection also significantly differed from the control group. SCF was significantly more often determined in patients with retinal angiomatosis only at the systemic level. Correlations between PDGF-BB and PIGF-1, as well as PIGF-1 and MIP-1β were shown. A significant increase in VEGF-A, HGF, VEGF-D, as well as MCP-1 concentrations was shown in the lacrimal fluid. The inversion of PDGF-BB concentrations in serum and lacrimal fluid was noted. Analysis of intraocular cytokine levels revealed a significant increase in VEGF-A and HGF concentrations, with marked decrease in MIP-1α and MIP-1β. PDGF-BB in 100% of cases was determined only in vitreous body of patients with retinal angiomatosis. With respect to the revealed characteristic shifts of HGF/SF intraocular production in retinal capillary hemangioma, it seems relevant to search ways for its inhibition, thus providing potential basis for a new therapeutic strategy in treatment of retinal angiomatosis.

The article concerns a study of early influence of silicone breast implants on the development of autoimmune reactions and dynamics of prolactin and thyroid hormone levels in women after mammoplasty. At the present time, this issue remains relevant for several reasons: more than 20 million pairs of implants have been installed in the world and the number of their implantations is constantly growing. Despite relative safety of the silicone implants, some of them are periodically banned by regulatory bodies in various countries. At the same time, there is a growing number of controversial publications in the scientific literature, about potential adverse consequences of their use. Some authors suggest an association between the silicone implants and risk of developing autoimmune conditions, connective tissue disorders, and occasional malignancies. On the other hand, the journals are full of publications about the overall safe tolerance of such medical devices by the patients. These considerations served as a pre-requisite to our research. As part of this project, we have assayed serum levels of autoantibodies to ten antigens, as well as contents of prolactin and thyroid hormones by means of ELISA technique in 27 patients before, 3 and 6 months after aesthetic and reconstructive mammoplastics performed within a period of September 2018 to November 2019. As a result, it was found that 5 out of 27 patients exhibited changes in the autoimmunity spectrum and intensity after mammoplasty. In particular, the concentrations of autoantibodies to modified citrullinated vimentin and IgM autoantibodies to cardiolipin exceeded the normal level at 3 and 6 months. In addition, the initially high prolactin concentration in mammoplasty recipients dropped to normal ranges by 3 months after breast surgery, even after several-fold increased initial levels. As for thyroid hormones, there were no statistically significant changes in their dynamics. The increase of autoantibodies to various target antigens after mammoplasty was statistically significant and positively correlated with each other. This can be explained, for example, by dependence on the adjuvant effect of silicone, which is not associated with antigen specificity. However, it may generally stimulate the immune responses.

Varicocele means a varicose vein of the spermatic cord, being among the most common disorders diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, which suggests a high risk for infertility. Varicocele is considered an additional factor for immune-dependent infertility which results from damaged hemato-testicular barrier due to venous blood stasis, hyperthermia, testicular ischemia. Our objective was to determine levels of the sperm antibodies in serum and ejaculate in adolescents with left-sided varicocele, in order to assess the changing levels of sperm antibodies in blood serum at different ages during the postoperative period, depending on the degree of varicocele. For adolescents with left-sided varicocele and without varicocele, the serum levels of sperm antibodies were determined annually at the age of 14 to 17 years, as well as registration of sperm antibodies titer in seminal fluid at the age of 17 years. The levels of sperm antibodies in blood serum were traced in dynamics for the main group and comparison group, also comparing the groups with different degrees of varicocele, like as the patients before and after surgical varicocele correction. We did not reveal increased levels of the sperm antibodies over reference values in any subject under study. The level changes of sperm antibodies in serum showed an increase in these indexes at the age of 15-16 years in adolescents of both groups with a trend for a decrease in the comparison group by 17 years of age, however, without such tendency in the main group. No significant differences were found in the levels of sperm antibodies in blood serum depending on the degree of varicocele, and on the time after varicocelectomy.

Graphene and its derivatives are increasingly used in biomedical research. Therefore, the mechanisms and consequences of the interaction of graphene nanoparticles with living objects are intensively studied. The immune system is involved in protecting the body and regulating its functions, so the question of the effect of graphene and its derivatives on immune cells is crucial. The specific response of monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils to a stimulus is to increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Published data on graphene oxide (GO) and polyethylene glycol-modified graphene oxide (GO-PEG) effects on peripheral blood leukocytes are scarce and contradictory. It is due to variations in objects and conditions of study, along with the difference in particle concentrations. Thus, it was essential to evaluate the GO and GO-PEG effect on ROS production by human leukocytes. Our study aimed at the effect of particles of unmodified and PEG-modified graphene oxide (GO and GO-PEG) on the ROS production by peripheral blood leukocytes in not-stimulated and stimulated luminoldependent chemiluminescence (LCL) tests. ROS production was stimulated by opsonized zymosan (OZ). A hydrogen peroxide-luminol system was used for assessing the independent effect of GO nanoparticles on the quenching of ROS luminescence. Pristine GO (Ossila, Great Britain) nanoparticles were PEG-modified (GO-PEG). The average size of the GO flakes was 1-5 µm, the GO-PEG-flakes 569±14 nm, and the amount of PEG covering was ~ 20%. Nanoparticles were used at concentrations of 5; 2.5; 1.25 µg/ml. It has been established that GO-PEG nanoparticles in concentrations of 2.5 and 5 µg/ml suppressed ROS production in the spontaneous LCL test. At the same time, the GO effects showed a visible but a not significant tendency to inhibition of LCL. Similar results were obtained in the stimulated LCL test. However, when analyzing the process kinetics, both GO-PEG and GO decreased the ROS production, but mainly in the first minutes of the test. When analyzing the quenching effect of the LCL reaction in a cell-free system, there was no significant effect of GO and GO-PEG nanoparticles. Thus, the general vector of the obtained effects was associated with the suppression of ROS production. GO-PEG ROS-decreasing effects were more pronounced in comparison with unmodified GO. In general, we have confirmed the antioxidant effects of GO and GO-PEG using the LCL method. We can assume that in addition to the actual antioxidant effect of graphene nanoparticles, ROS production decreases due to the rapid GO uptake and blocking of several intracellular signals that induce an oxidative burst.

The article presents the data on assessment of functional features of neutrophils in 34 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Development of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) was evaluated in cell cultures incubated in vitro for 30 and 150 minutes (basal levels, NETBAS30 and NETBAS150, respectively), and in the presence of heat-inactivated S. аureus (strain ATCC 25923, 108 CFU/ml) (stimulated levels, NETST30 and NETST150, respectively). NET looks like thin free-lying extracellular fibrillar structures, 2-3 times exceeding the size of unchanged granulocyte. The result was expressed as percentage and relative amount of extracellular traps per 100 counted leukocytes. Phagocytic activity of neutrophils was evaluated as phagocytosis of S. аureus by counting the percentage of neutrophils that engulfed phagocytic index of microbial particles (PI); the average number of phagocytosed objects per neutrophil phagocytic number (PC). ROS-producing activity was determined in the reduction of Nitroblue Tetrazolium tested in spontaneous and stimulated S. аureus variants (NBT_BAS and NBT_ST, respectively). The result was expressed as the percentage of formazan-positive cells per 100 white blood cells. Nitroxide-producing properties were determined using the Crow (1999) method in spontaneous and stimulated samples for the accumulation of the nitrated amino acid tyrosine (3-nitrothyrosine, 3-NT_BAS, and 3-NT_ST, respectively). We revealed a decrease in ROS production, phagocytosis and NO-forming activity of neutrophils associated with increased netosis. Activation of the netosis was observed in cell cultures without stimulation, indicating the in vivo formation of networks in SLE. The NET increase is most pronounced in the patients with lupus nephritis (p < 0.05), and in remission of the disease (p < 0.05). We have revealed a correlation of NET formation parameters with duration and degree of SLE activity (r_s = -0.6; p = 0.001, and r_s = 0.39; p = 0.02, respectively); autoantibody titers (anti-dsDNA and ANA) (r_s = 0.67; р = 0.047 and r_s = 0.59; р = 0.034, respectively); prothrombin complex activity (r_s = 0.6; p = 0.036), as well and urea and creatinine levels (r_s = 0.47; p = 0.037 and r_s = 0.39; p = 0.048, respectively). The parameters of NETs can be considered a promising biomarker for verifying the diagnosis of SLE, evaluation of clinical activity, disease severity, and predicting the development of complications.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology with damage to the lungs and other organs characterized by development of necrosis-free epithelioid cell granulomas. Granulomatous inflammation characterized by the activation of different immune systems cells, in particular T lymphocytes, and the cytokines production. Our study was aimed at investigating the characteristics of the cytokine profile of blood plasma in patients with sarcoidosis. We studied peripheral blood plasma samples of patients with sarcoidosis (n = 52). The control blood samples were taken from healthy volunteers (n = 22). The level of 46 cytokines (pg/ml) was determined, as follows: IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL- 6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-12 (p40), IL-12 (p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17A, IFNα2, IFNγ, TNFα, TNFβ, IL- 1ra, IL-10, EGF, FGF-2, Flt3 Ligand, G-CSF, GM-CSF, PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB / BB, TGFα, VEGF-A, sCD40L, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL7, CCL11, CCL17, CCL20, CCL22, CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL13, CX3CL1. Significantly higher levels of interleukins and some proinflammatory cytokines were found in the patients with sarcoidosis, i.e., IL-3, 0.70 vs 0.20, p = 0.003; IL-4, 14.37 vs 3.15, p = 0.009; IL-5, 1.06 vs 0.89, p < 0.001; IL-12 (p70), 1.27 vs 0.56, p = 0.028; IL-17A, 1.48 vs 0.43, p < 0.001; IFNα2, 41.79 vs 25.04, p = 0.003; IFNγ, 4.13 vs 1.14, p < 0.001; TNFα, 21.67 vs 6.70, p < 0.001; anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, 1.03 vs 0.45, p = 0.019; growth factors: FGF-2, 40.08 vs 30.58, p = 0.008, G-CSF, 24.18 vs 8.21, p = 0.006, and VEGF-A, 42.52 vs 26.76, p = 0.048; chemokines: CCL3, 3.86 vs 1.33, p < 0,001; CCL17, 78.24 vs 26.24, p < 0.001; CCL20, 7.19 vs 5.64, p = 0.021; CCL22, 660.60 vs 405.00, p < 0,001; CXCL9, 4013 vs 1142, p < 0,001; CXCL10, 565.90 vs 196.60, p < 0.001; CXCL11, 230.20 vs 121.10, p = 0.018; CX3CL1, 56.99 vs 5.16, p < 0.001. Peripheral blood chemokine CCL11 levels were significantly lower in patients compared to the group of healthy volunteers: 77.58 vs 124.70, p = 0.022. The features of the cytokine profile in patients with sarcoidosis may indicate their important role in the processes of formation and outcomes of granulomas. These issues require an additional detailed study, comparison with phenotypes, differential course and outcomes of the disease.

Our study was aimed at assessing a relationship between immune system alterations, hypoxia and inflammation in arterial hypertension (AH) coupled to metabolic disturbances. A total of 117 patients were enrolled into clinical study, having been randomized into groups in accordance with study protocol, aged 30 to 62 years. They sought care in outpatient setting or underwent periodic health examination at the Republican Clinical Hospital №5, Saransk, Mordovia, Russia. A control group contained 25 apparently healthy subjects lacking signs of metabolic syndrome (MS) and elevated arterial pressure. A comparison group contained 47 patients with AH grade I-II featured with damaged target organs, but lacking associated relevant clinical manifestations, as based on the assay data. The main group contained 45 patients receiving antihypertensive therapy with overt AH grade I-II verified upon medical consultation coupled to damaged target organs and MS signs with its randomly combined components, but lacking associated clinical manifestations. The patients from main and comparison groups received antihypertensive therapy in accordance with approved guidelines and clinical recommendations for management of AH patients consisting of one of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers, diuretic and/or dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. Cytokine profile, level of hypoxia and non-specific inflammation were measured in blood serum. The data obtained demonstrated that AH patients with/without metabolic syndrome were noted to display cytokine profile shifted towards elevated proand anti-inflammatory immune arm pointing at imbalanced immune regulation. Hypoxic changes were also found in blood serum that was confirmed by elevated level of lactic and pyruvic acid in these groups. Moreover, development of such pathology was coupled to hypoxia which served as a modulator of immune-related and non-specific inflammation. Rise of non-specific low-grade inflammation correlates developing irreversible AH-associated changes in organs, progression of atherosclerosis and accelerated cardio-metabolic continuum. Altogether, such alterations underlie pathogenetic mechanisms of tissue damage emerging upon AH and MS being mutually aggravating factor along with activated renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Our objective was to study the effects of IL4-589C>T, FCGR2A-166His>Arg, DEFB1-20G>A, DEFB1-52G>A gene polymorphisms upon content of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-4, and IL-10 in primary osteoarthrosis of the hip joints. We performed a survey of 100 patients of Russian ethnicity (average age 61.3±8.5 years) with primary coxarthrosis at the stage III-IV who lived in the Trans-Baikal region. The control group (n = 100), were local residents, comparable by age (60±8.3 years), gender, habitation place and nationality. The exclusion criteria were as follows: close relationship; other types of osteoarthritis (post-traumatic, rheumatoid, metabolic, etc.); dysplastic syndromes and phenotypes; acute and chronic inflammatory diseases at the exacerbation stage; diabetes mellitus; osteoporosis; vascular diseases; obesity; malignant neoplasia; alcohol abuse. Along with clinical examination, the following laboratory methods were applied: immunological techniques, i.e., determination of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10; genetic testing using polymerase chain reaction, e.g., a point mutation of the IL4 gene at the 589(C>T) position, FCGR2A at 166(His>Arg) site, DEFB1 at the 20(G>A) and 52(G>A) positions. DNA from the peripheral blood of patients was used for the molecular genetic analysis. Radiographic examination was also carried out. The data were statistically processed using STATISTICA 6.1 software package (StatSoft, USA), Microsoft Office Excel 2019 for Windows 10. The differences were considered statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05. Results. The -589T/T genotype of IL4-589C>T gene polymorphism indirectly contributes to higher content of TNFα and IL-1β for primary osteoarthritis of the hip joints. The patients with -166Arg/Arg genotype have a 1.3-fold increase of certain cytokine concentrations, e.g., TNFα and IL-1β, as compared with -166His/Arg genotype, and, conversely, lower content of IL-4 and IL-10 (1.3- fold) in comparison with -166His/His genotype. The patients with -20A/A genotype showed higher levels of TNFα and IL-1β, respectively, 1.2 and 1.3 times, compared with -20G/G genotype, and 1.3 times versus the -20G/A genotype. Conclusions: 1. The presence of -589T/T genotype of the IL4-589C>T gene polymorphism and the -20A/A genotype of the DEFB1-20G>A gene polymorphism contributes to a high content of TNFα and IL-1β in the blood serum, and the carriage of -166His/His FCGR2A-166His>Arg gene polymorphism is associated with both higher level of TNFα, IL-1β, and a low concentration of IL-4, IL-10. 2. Complex carriers of FCGR2A166HisArg x DEFB152AA x DEFB120AA x IL4589TT genotypes in the patients with primary coxarthrosis increases the contents of TNFα, IL-1β cytokines by 1.5 and 1.7 times, respectively.

We present the results of applying functional cytometric test of antigen-stimulated activation basophils to assess specific immunological reactivity in the people with anthrax, and immunized with anthrax vaccine. As a criterion for antigen-specific basophil activation, we measured expression of the CD63 membrane receptor, which reflects the process of anaphylactic basophil degranulation. To determine spontaneous and antigen-induced activation of basophils (CCR3+CD63+), a FlowCAST reagent kit (Buhlmann laboratories AG, Switzerland) was used. Anthraxin, an experimental anthrax allergen (a hydrolysate the Bacillus anthracis STI-1 strain), manufactured by the Stavropol Anti-Plague Institute, was used as a specific antigen. As based on clinical and experimental data, a threshold value of > 10% of anthraxin-activated (CCR3+CD63+) basophils was accepted for the in vitro immunodiagnostic CAST test, as a laboratory criterion for the subjects exhibiting specific immune response, i.e., IgE-mediated sensitization. It was shown that, in anthrax patients within one week after onset of the disease (3-7 days), a positive CAST result was obtained in 92.3% cases; the levels of specific basophil activation with anthraxin averaged 37.9% (12.01 ÷ 78.9%). Immunological examination of individuals three weeks (21 days) after vaccination against anthrax revealed CAST-positivity in all the vaccinated persons. Intensity of anthraxin-induced basophil activation the vaccinated subjects was ranged from 10.87 to 30.03%, averaging 17.86%. The overall values of spontaneous and specific activation ranged within 12.39 ÷ 41.46%. The study opens prospectives for implementation of basophil antigenic activation test in the Flow CAST format in diagnostics of anthrax and to identify specific immune rearrangements after vaccination in humans, as an index of actual vaccination rates. Usage of CAST test with anthraxin makes it possible to identify anthrax patients at the early stages (2-4 days after onset of the disease) including, among patients with an increased CCR3+CD63+ background values, evaluation of immunological efficiency in the cohorts at risk for vaccination. At the same time, it was found that a significant decrease in diagnostic sensitivity of CAST test could be observed in the patients immune to anthrax pathogen who received intensive antibacterial and pathogenetic therapy at the early stages of infection, including glucocorticosteroids (anti-inflammatory drugs) and desensitizing agents that inhibit the degree of hypersensitivity development and its expression.