The Use of Thymalin for Immunocorrection and Molecular Aspects of Biological Activity

The polypeptide drug thymalin is used for various diseases associated with immune dysfunction, viral and bacterial infections, regeneration normalization, immunodepression, and the depression of hematogenesis after chemical and radiotherapy. The molecular mechanism of the action of thymalin and its components, EW dipeptide (the drug thymogen), the dipeptide KE, and the tripeptide EDP, are analyzed. These short peptides regulate gene expression and the synthesis of heat-shock protein, cytokines, fibrinolysis, gerontogenes, and the differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis of cells. Thymalin and thymogen have practically no side effects and are used for various viral infections. These peptide drugs can likely be effective in the complex therapy for the coronavirus infection COVID-19.

Microglia Activated by Excess Cortisol Induce HMGB1 Acetylation and Neuroinflammation in the Hippocampal DG Region of Mice Following Cold Exposure

Cold stress can induce neuroinflammation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), but the mechanism underlying neuronal apoptosis induced by cold stress is not well-understood. To address this issue, male and female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a temperature of 4 °C for 3 h per day for 1 week, and glial cell activation, neuronal apoptosis, and neuroinflammation were evaluated by western blotting, immunofluorescence, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2’-deoxyuridine 5’-triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling, Nissl staining, and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, BV2 cells were treated with different concentrations of cortisol (CORT) for 3 h to mimic stress and molecular changes were assessed by western blotting, immunofluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation. We found that excess CORT activated glial cells and increased neuroinflammation in the DG of mice exposed to cold temperatures, which was associated with increased acetylation and nuclear factor-κB signaling. These effects were mediated by the acetylation of lysine 9 of histone 3 and lysine 310 of p65, which resulted in increased mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of p65, microglia activation, and acetylation of high-mobility group box 1. Neuroinflammation was more severe in male compared to female mice. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms of the cold stress response, which can inform the development of new strategies to combat the effects of hypothermia.

Chemokine gene polymorphisms association with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Tatar ethnic group, Russia

Recent studies have shown that chemokines play an important role in the development of chronic inflammation in adipose tissue, obesity pathogenesis, glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. It has also been revealed that some SNPs in chemokine genes are associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and diabetes complications in different ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between SNPs in chemokine genes and type 2 diabetes in participants of Tatar ethnic group, living in Bashkortostan. Case-control and cross-sectional study were included in our study design. Five SNPs were genotyped in 440 type 2 diabetes (160 men and 280 women), 58.8 ± 9.2 years old (mean ± SD), BMI 29.3 ± 3.9 kg/m² (mean ± SD) patients of Tatar ethnicity, and a control group of 500 Tatars (180 men and 320 women), 55.2 ± 11.6 years old (mean ± SD), BMI 25.9 ± 4.3 kg/m² (mean ± SD). The SNPs rs6749704 in CCL20 [odds ratio (OR) = 2.77 (95% CI 1.81-4.25), р = 0.0001], rs2107538 in CCL5 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.80 (95% CI 1.46-2.22), p = 0.0001] were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes. Regression analysis revealed that rs1696941 in CCL11 was associated with the onset age and duration of type 2 diabetes as well as with HbA_1c level (p = 0.034, p = 0.036 and p = 0.0054, respectively). The SNPs rs223828 in CCL17 and rs6749704 in CCL20 were correlated with obesity as estimated by BMI (p = 0.0004, p = 0.029, respectively). Rs223828 in CCL17 revealed the association with postprandial glucose level (p = 0.024) and HbA_1c (p = 0.008). These data demonstrate that variants of chemokine genes are associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity of Tatar ethnic group inhabiting Bashkortostan Republic. Novel associations of the polymorphic loci in CCL20 (rs6749704) and CCL5 (rs2107538) genes with type 2 diabetes had been identified as a result of the conducted research.