ISSN Print 2500–1094    ISSN Online 2542–1204
BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL OF PIROGOV UNIVERSITY (MOSCOW, RUSSIA)

New articles

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of connective tissue and damage to various organs, including joints, skin, kidneys and heart. The disease has a significant gender predisposition and is more common in women. The pathogenesis of SLE is based on a violation of immunological tolerance, accompanied by activation of B lymphocytes and the production of autoantibodies. Recent advances in basic research have significantly deepened the understanding of the immunopathogenetic mechanisms of SLE, which justifies the use of new pharmacotherapeutic approaches. These approaches involve the use of biological drugs aimed at blocking the activity of type I interferon (IFN) or its receptors. The article discusses the molecular mechanisms of activation of the interferon response in SLE, modern methods for diagnosing the interferon signature, and new approaches to treatment aimed at blocking the interferon pathway. The possible role of the interferon signature in the stratification of SLE patients is also discussed. Such stratification will make it possible to more effective select treatment regimens taking into account the individual characteristics of the immune response of each patient. This may increase the effectiveness of treatment, reduce the likelihood of side effects and improve the prognosis for patients with SLE.
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The Iba-1 protein is traditionally considered a highly selective marker of microglia because of the specific expression of the gene in this particular population of the CNS cells. Alternative splicing creates several isoforms of the Iba-1 protein, which may cause discrepancies in the results of immunohistochomic reactions depending on which epitopes of the immunogen the antibodies selected for the study were developed. In this connection, and with the aim at identifying reliable variants of antibodies to Iba-1 available to researchers in the Russian Federation, we organized with study, seeking to evaluate the results of detecting microglia and macrophages using antibodies to different protein sequences produced by different manufacturers. As material, we used samples of the brain and testis of sexually mature (3–5 months) male Wistar rats (n = 8). Polyclonal and monoclonal (clone JM36-62) antibodies to Iba-1 were used as primary reagents. We found that monoclonal antibodies of the JM36-62 clone enable more selective antigen detection with a better signal/background ratio; they can be used as replacements for reagents that are currently not available commercially. Polyclonal antibodies enabled not only immunospecific imaging of microglia and macrophages, but also the identification of cells of the epithelial-spermatogenic layer of the testis. It is assumed that epithelial-spermatogenic layer contains the Iba-1 isoform devoid of an epitope that corresponds to the sequence of the immunogenic antibody clone JM36-62 fragment of the native protein. Functionally, various isoforms of Iba-1 should be investigated further.
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Currently, there are more than 8000–10000 rare disease (RDs), among which 75–80% are hereditary. In the Russian Federation (RF), patients are provided medical care in accordance with two lists: 17 chronic progressive and life-threatening diseases (RLTDs) and 14 high-cost nosologies (HCNs). The study was aimed to assess the range, prevalence, and genetic epidemiological characteristics of the RDs from the lists of RLTDs and HCNs in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania and RF in general. We determined the number of patients from the RLTD (a total of 18,744 people in the RF, among them 8713 children; 129 and 42 people, respectively, in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania) and HCN (28727 people/13454 children in the RF; 554 and 64 in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania) lists and calculated the prevalence per 100,000 population. The global prevalence of RDs was estimated using the Orphanet database. The average prevalence of RLTDs in the whole population of the RF was 11.51 cases and that among children was 25.08. Similar data were obtained for the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania (19.38 and 29.44, respectively). It was found that idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, disorder of the complement system, maple syrup urine disease, porphyria were more common in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania than in the RF in general, while galactosemia was less common. The analysis of disorders from the RLTD list has shown lower prevalence of hemophilia and pituitary dwarfism in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania compared to the RF and Orphanet, along with the higher prevalence of type VI mucopolysaccharidosis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, the features of the range of genetic variation in the genes РАН (phenylketonuria) and CFTR (cystic fibrosis) have been identified. Thus, assessment of the RD prevalence in the regions is important and essential for raising awareness of medical personnel, as well as for expansion and improvement of medical care provision to patients with RLTDs and HCNs.
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Popular articles

Thorough investigation of metabolome by mass spectrometry is of great importance for personalized and preventive medicine. It is only timely laboratory diagnosis involving the use of high-tech chromatographic analysis methods that can help identify the patients with disorders of amino acid and acylcarnitine metabolism. The study was aimed to determine the efficacy of conventional and additional markers of metabolic disorders of amino acids and acylcarnitines detected by chromatography–mass spectrometry for the diagnosis of congenital metabolic disorders in children, as well as to create specific panels of the most effective indicators and determine the potential diagnostic efficacy of indentification of the relationships between the levels of amino acids and acylcarnitines in pediatric patients with congenital metabolic disorders. We assessed amino acid and acylcarnitine profiles in blood spots by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in patients aged 6 months to 16 years (48 boys and 32 girls) with suspected aminoacidopathy and organic aciduria/acidemia. The comparison group consisted of 35 children with suspected peroxisomal metabolic disorders, the control group included 40 generally healthy children of various age groups. The data obtained were used to conduct the analysis of correlations between the groups of markers. Strong correlation was revealed for the levels of metabolically most closely related compounds (r < 0.8, р < 0.001). However, a similar relationship between metabolically not closely related compounds (correlation coefficient 0.45–0.73 (р < 0.001)) was revealed for some groups of compounds. Thus, the acylcarnitine profile can be proposed as an additional potential marker to be used in cases of borderline phenylalanine levels, and the sum of normalized acylcarnitine levels (С12+С16) can be a potential secondary marker of phenylketonuria.
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a widespread multifactorial genetically determined inflammatory skin disease caused by, among other causes, impaired functions of the epidermal barrier. Loss-of-function mutations of the filaggrin gene (important component of the natural moisturizing factor system) that arrest production of the full-fledged precursor protein are associated with AD. This work investigated the frequency of the 2282delACTG (rs558269137), R501X (rs61816761), S3247X (rs150597413), R2447X (rs138726443) loss-of-function mutations of the filaggrin gene in adult European patients with moderate to severe AD. The study involved 99 adult patients of both sexes aged 18-68 years. The mutations were identified with the help of the purpose-developed method of multiplex analysis of four single nucleotide polymorphisms that relies on the SNaPshot technique (minisequencing). The incidence of loss-of-function mutation of filaggrin 2282delACTG was 5.3%, that of R501X - 0.5%, R2447X - 1%. No S3247X mutation was detected in the sample. Collation of the results with Russian and European samples revealed a comparable level of the analyzed filaggrin gene mutations in adult patients with AD from different regions of the Russian Federation.
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Dear researcher!
At the end of 2015, Bulletin of RSMU saw an important change in its typographic design and content. We formulated new editorial policies and established strict ethical standards for submitted manuscripts in accordance with the guidelines of reputable international bodies. As a result, about a quarter of the submitted works have been rejected, the primary reason being the author trying to submit a previously published article. Sometimes authors believe that by making slight changes to the introduction, excluding a few people from the study, performing a new statistical analysis, and thus obtaining totally new results they will turn their old manuscript into a novel work. That is why we would like to talk about scientific integrity, honesty, plagiarism, and self-plagiarism in our special project “Author’s work”.
Richard FEYNMAN Cargo cult science
American physicist Richard P. Feynman, a Nobel laureate, was always very scrupulous about the quality of a research study. During his commencement address at the California Institute of Technology in 1974, he talked about scientific integrity and honesty and warned young researchers “not to fool” themselves. A must-read for anyone who believes he/she is a true scientist.
Ivan PAVLOV On the Russian mind
In 1918, Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, a Nobel laureate, delivered two lectures: on the mind in general and the Russian mind in particular; on those mind qualities that determine the success of a research work and on how these qualities are present in the Russian mind. Pavlov's thoughts are an effective vaccine against poor intellectual work.
2024-05-15 Our news

Since May 14, 2024 the Bulletin of RSMU has been included in the DOAJ.