The radioprotective effect of Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin (RtH) against radiation-induced injuries (stomach ulcers, survival time and endogenous haemopoiesis) and post-radiation recovery was investigated in male albino mice (C3H strain). Radiation course was in a dose of 7.5 Gy (LD 100/30 – dose that kills 100% of the mice at 30 days) from 137Cs with a dose of 2.05 Gy/min. Radiation injuries were manifested by inducing а hematopoietic form of acute radiation syndrome. RtH was administered intraperitoneally in a single dose of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg body weight (b. w.) once a day for five consecutive days before irradiation. The results obtained showed that radiation exposure led to (1) 100% mortality rate, (2) ulceration in the stomach mucosa and (3) decrease formation of spleen colonies as a marker of endogenous haemopoiesis. Administration of RtH at a dose of 200 mg/kg provided better protection against radiation-induced stomach ulceration, mitigated the lethal effects of radiation exposure and recovered endogenous haemopoiesis versus irradiated but not supplemented mice. It could be expected that RtH will find a use in mitigating radiation induced injury and enhanced radiorecovery.

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), a major end-product of free-radical activated peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, has attracted great scientific interest. HNE is more stable than free radicals and can diffuse within the cell or leave it and react with targets far from the initial site. These reactive aldehyde species are considerably reactive, producing multiple intra-and inter-molecular covalent adducts with biomolecules such as proteins, DNA and phospholipids. HNE is the most intensively studied aldehyde in relation to its physiological and protective function as a signalling molecule that stimulates gene expression and cell survival, as well as for its pathophysiological role as a toxic messenger that can propagate and amplify oxidative injury and promote mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent form of chronic liver disease in the world associated with oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and hepatocellular apoptosis. In this review we focus our attention on the molecular mechanism of the signalling and regulatory action of HNE. The role of HNE as a potent mediator for progression of liver injury in NAFLD is also discussed.

Background and objectives The pathogenesis of influenza infection is associated with two general processes in the body: (a) lung damage based on virus replication; (b) overproduction of free radicals, antioxidant deficiency, and development of oxidative stress. To attack these aspects of flu pathogenesis, we explored the combined effect of the antiviral agent oseltamivir, and s-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) as a precursor of the endogenous antioxidant glutathione, in mice infected with influenza virus. Methods After inoculation of albino mice with 10 MLD50 of influenza virus A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2), oseltamivir was applied twice a day, for five days post-infection in doses of 1.25 and 2.5 mg/kg. SAM was administered once a day for 10 days, starting 5 days before infection in doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg. Results Monotherapy with SAM did not influence the markers of oxidative stress in the lung. Combination of SAM 50 mg/kg and oseltamivir 2.5 mg/kg affected best the virological parameters - viral titer, protection index, and mean survival time, as well as the biochemical markers of oxidative stress. Interpretation and conclusions Combining of SAM and oseltamivir in a dose of 1/4 of optimal therapeutic could be considered as a perspective therapy of influenza viral infection.

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Background: The specific chemotherapeutics against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV) are nucleoside analogues such as acyclovir (ACV), but the most important problem is the formation of resistant mutants. The search for new therapeutic alternatives leads us to the purpose of investigating the effects of Rosa damascena Mill. and Rosa alba L. essential oils on the viral reproduction of susceptible (Victoria) and acyclovir-resistant (R-100) strains of HSV-1 replication in vitro, individually and in combination with acyclovir. Methods: Cytopathic effect inhibition test was used for assessment of antiviral activity of the oils, and the three-dimensional model of Prichard and Shipman was applied to evaluate the combined effect of oils with ACV on HSV-1 replication. Results: Both oils do not affect the replication of viral strains; they are able to influence only viral adsorption and extracellular virions and protect healthy cells from subsequent infection. In combination with lower doses of acyclovir, both oils demonstrate a significant synergistic effect on the replication of HSV-1, which is more contagious than the Victoria strain. Conclusions: The nonspecific mechanism of the reduction in viral reproduction caused by rose oils and the synergistic effect of their co-administration with the lower doses of specific inhibitor ACV makes them suitable therapeutics for overcoming viral resistance to HSV-1 infections.

Combinations of anti-cancer drugs can overcome resistance to therapy and provide new more effective treatments. In this work we have analyzed the effect of the polyphenol quercetin and the anti-cancer sphingosine analog fingolimod on the sphingolipid metabolism in HepG2 cells, since sphingolipids are recognized as mediators of cell proliferation and apoptosis in cancer cells. Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells with quercetin and fingolimod, alone or in combination, induced different degrees of sphingomyelin (SM) reduction and a corresponding activation of neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase). Western blot analysis showed that only treatments containing quercetin induced up-regulation of nSMase expression. The same treatment caused elevation of ceramide (CER) levels, whereas the observed alterations in sphingosine (SPH) content were not statistically significant. The two tested drugs induced a reduction of the pro-proliferative sphingolipid, sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P), in the following order: quercetin, fingolimod, quercetin + fingolimod. The activity of the enzyme responsible for CER hydrolysis, alkaline ceramidase (ALCER) was down-regulated only in the incubations involving quercetin and fingolimod did not affect this activity. The enzyme, maintaining the balance between apoptosis and proliferation, sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1), was down-regulated by incubations in the following order: quercetin, fingolimod, quercetin + fingolimod. Western blot analysis showed down-regulation in SK1 expression upon quercetin but not upon fingolimod treatment. Studies on the effect of quercetin and fingolimod on the two proteins associated with apoptotic events, AKT and Bcl-2, showed that only quercetin, alone or in combination, down-regulated the activity of the two proteins. The reported observations provide information which can be useful in the search of novel anti-tumor approaches, aiming at optimization of the therapeutic effect and maximal preservation of healthy tissues.

We present a case of a 30-year-old man who committed suicide, using three knives, after a domestic disturbance in which he repeatedly stabbed his wife. During the inspection of the corpse of the man at the scene, two knives were found embedded in the neck and one in the abdomen. During the autopsy, we found two stab-incised injuries on the anterior surface of the neck in the lower section of the second segment bilaterally, one injury on the left side of the chest, and eleven injuries in the abdomen of the deceased with varying depth. Wound channels ranged from 1.5 cm to 20 cm. Despite our expectations that some of the major arterial and/or venous vessels in the neck would be cut, we found breaks in only small vessels, nervous structures, sublingual glands, and muscles in the course of the wound channels. In this case, we define such an autopsy finding as rare, or rather, as a rare accident. The inflicted stab-incised injuries as individual anatomical lesions would not lead to certain death. At the time of autopsy we revealed that the fatal injury was in the abdomen, wherein the abdominal aorta was cut. This led to the development of acute blood loss. In the genesis of death, a puncture-incised injury of the left lung was involved, leading to the development of hemopneumothorax. With regards to the possibility of murder, we did not find any cuts or puncture-incised injuries on the body of the deceased man which could be described as "defensive", or such that could have been received while trying to escape. During the police investigation, evidence for the presence of a third person at this domestic incident was not found.

Goitre recurrence is a common problem following subtotal thyroid gland resection for multinodular goitre disease. The aim of our study was to trace out the ultrastructure of the thyroid gland of man after primary and redo operations for struma nodosa. We undertook the task to study the fine ultrastructural changes taking place in the stromal part of the gland. For ultrastructural examination we used routine transmission electron microscopy. The electron microscopy has been made on Hitachi H-500 microscope Our main goal was to compare the ultrastructural characteristics of the thyroid gland in two different groups -patients with primary disease and patients with recurrence. The results from our research showed that in the first group the stroma was presented by one or two rows of cells in the septum or in small groups in the interfolicular space. Studies by electron microscopically showed that the cells of the stroma had the ultrastructural characteristics of fibroblasts, but there was an increased number cisterne of Granular endoplasmic reticulum, well developed Goldgi complex, as well as relatively small amount of vesicles and vacuoles. The examination of the specimens from the second group showed a much thicker stroma between the follicles. There was an increased amount of stromal cells and collagen bundles in the interfolicular space. The proteoglycan complexes in the extracellular matrix were rarely situated. Our results suggest that the connective tissue of the thyroid gland reacts faster to the changes of the structure of the gland than the epithelial cells of the follicles.