Viktor A. Gritsenko

Microflora of the seminal fluid of healthy men and men suffering from chronic prostatitis syndrome.

Chronic prostatitis syndrome (CPS) is a common urologic condition that many clinicians find difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. The information about the composition of the flora of the seminal fluid in healthy men and patients with CPS is limited. The aim of this study was to define the microbial communities present in the seminal fluid of healthy men and patients with CPS and at in vitro detection of decomplementary activity (DCA) phenotypes of isolates along with their comparison with isolates from patients with or without CPS. The bacteriological study was carried out to 48 healthy men and 60 men with CPS. Culture specimens were spread on various selective media. Bacterial DCA was tested by measuring the decrease in complement activity (CH(50)) under the influence of culture supernatants. The most common isolates in both groups were coryneforms, lactobacilli, coagulase-negative staphylococci, micrococci and streptococci. Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated only from the CPS group. The organisms from seminal fluid of healthy men exerted DCA at 3.56 +/- 2.15; 2.47 +/- 1.23 and 4.36 +/- 2.2 anti-CH(50) for staphylococci, micrococci and diphtheroids respectively. The DCA of staphylococci, coryneforms, Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and micrococci from CPS group were 12.8 +/- 2.1 (p < 0.05), 4.4 +/- 3.6 (p > 0.05), 16.8 +/- 2.1, 7.2 +/- 1.9 and 11.6 +/- 3.3 (p < 0.05) anti-CH(50) respectively. The data obtained in this study testify the microecological disorders in microbiota of seminal fluid in CPS.

Comparative Activities of Cattle and Swine Platelet Microbicidal Proteins

The bactericidal activities of cattle and swine platelet microbicidal proteins (PMPs) with their comparison with human PMP were studied. Activities of PMP were tested against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Escherichia coli. B. subtilis and B. cereus were high susceptible to PMP at very low concentrations. Of the gram-positive cocci studied, M. lysodeikticus and S. aureus were the most, and S. epidermidis the least, susceptible. E. coli was found to be relatively resistant to the lethal action of all PMP. The findings of this study confirm that the existence of antimicrobial peptides is conserved among mammalian platelets.

Influence of Plantaginaceae species on E. coli K12 growth in vitro: Possible relation to phytochemical properties

Abstract Context: The data concerning the influence of Plantaginaceae water extracts on bacterial growth are contradictory. Objective: This study investigates the influence of Plantago maxima Juss. ex Jacq., Plantago lanceolata L., Plantago major L., Veronica teucrium L., Veronica spicata L., and Veronica incana L. aqueous extracts on growth of Escherichia coli K12 culture and the relation to antioxidant, reducing, and iron-binding activities. Materials and methods: Aqueous extracts were prepared from the dried leaves with the final concentration of 1/10, 1/15, 1/20, 1/25, 1/30, 1/35, and 1/40 (w/w). Comparative analysis of total flavonoids, iridoids, and tannins in Plantaginaceae species was performed. Iron-binding, antioxidant, and reducing activities of plant extracts were analyzed spectrophotometrically. The influence of plant extracts on E. coli K12 growth was studied in vitro by estimating the bacterial growth in the extract-containing medium. Results: Total tannin content in plant leaves positively correlated with iron-binding activity (r = 0.641), whereas total flavonoids correlated with antioxidant activity (r = 0.687). In an in vitro model, it is estimated that water extracts of studied Plantaginaceae species stimulated bacterial growth. Prebiotic activity significantly of 1/20 and 1/40 plant extracts positively correlated with antioxidant (r = 0.589; r = 0.576, respectively) and reducing activity (r = 0.721; r = 0.620, respectively) of plant aqueous extracts at 6–24 h. Negative correlation was observed between iron-binding activity and bacterial growth (r = −0.503 and r = −0.534 for 1/20 and 1/40 extracts, respectively). Conclusion: Aqueous Plantaginaceae extracts possess prebiotic activity depending on the phytochemical content of plant leaves.

Phenotypic differences between coryneform bacteria isolated from seminal fluid of healthy men and men with chronic prostatitis syndrome

We compared the potential phenotypic properties of coryneform bacteria associated with chronic prostatitis syndrome (CPS), such as secretory inhibitor of lysozyme (SIL) and secretory inhibitor of platelet microbicidal protein (SIPMP). A total of 110 clinical isolates of coryneform bacteria isolated from the seminal fluid of healthy men and men with CPS were tested. SIPMP production was tested by inhibiting platelet microbicidal protein (PMP) bioactivity against Bacillus subtilis, and was expressed as percentage of inhibition of PMP bactericidal activity. SIL production was tested by inhibiting lysozyme activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus and was expressed in microgram per millilitre of inactivated lysozyme. A significantly higher proportion of CPS strains (58.7% vs. 19.2 %) was SIPMP-positive compared with non-CPS strains (P < 0.01). Of the CPS strains tested, 77.8% were SIL-positive compared with 34% of the non-CPS isolates (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the diagnosis of CPS should not rely solely on classical parameters, for example, the identification and counting of microorganisms, but the functional significance of these parameters must be estimated, possibly by the concentration of different bacterial substrains, detection of opportunistic microorganisms with pathogenic properties, such as pronounced resistance to the cationic antimicrobial peptides, and/or the ability to inhibit the antimicrobial host defence factors.

Gut as a target for cadmium toxicity

The primary objective of the present study was to review the impact of Cd exposure on gut microbiota and intestinal physiology, as well as to estimate whether gut may be considered as the target for Cd toxicity. The review is based on literature search in available databases. The existing data demonstrate that the impact of Cd on gut physiology is two-sided. First, Cd exposure induces a significant alteration of bacterial populations and their relative abundance in gut (increased Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio), accompanied by increased lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production, reflecting changed metabolic activity of the intestinal microbiome. Second, in intestinal wall Cd exposure induces inflammatory response and cell damage including disruption of tight junctions, ultimately leading to increased gut permeability. Together with increased LPS production, impaired barrier function causes endotoxinemia and systemic inflammation. Hypothetically, Cd-induced increase gut permeability may also result in increased bacterial translocation. On the one hand, bacteriolysis may be associated with aggravation of endotoxemia. At the same time, together with Cd-induced impairment of macrophage inflammatory response, increased bacterial translocation may result in increased susceptibility to infections. Such a supposition is generally in agreement with the finding of higher susceptibility of Cd-exposed mice to infections. The changed microbiome metabolic activity and LPS-induced systemic inflammation may have a significant impact on target organs. The efficiency of probiotics in at least partial prevention of the local (intestinal) and systemic toxic effects of cadmium confirms the role of altered gut physiology in Cd toxicity. Therefore, probiotic treatment may be considered as the one of the strategies for prevention of Cd toxicity in parallel with chelation, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory therapy.

Phenotypic differences between coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from seminal fluid of healthy men and men suffering from chronic prostatitis syndrome

Chronic prostatitis syndrome (CPS) is a common urologic condition that many clinicians find difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. The most common causative agents of CPS among Gram-positive bacteria are coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). We compared phenotypic properties among CNS isolated from semen of healthy men and patients with CPS. A significantly higher proportion of CPS strains demonstrated inhibition of lysozyme and platelet microbicidal protein. Identifying these phenotypic characteristics in clinical laboratories would be helpful to differentiate which staphylococcal bacteriospermia case should be treated and which should not.

Assessment of a microplate method for detection of staphylococcal secretory inhibitor of platelet microbicidal protein

We developed a novel microplate spectrophotometric assay for the detection of staphylococcal secretory inhibitor of platelet microbicidal protein (SIPMP) in <or=24 h. The levels of SIPMP production agreed with the results obtained by viable counting method. Both methods may be acceptable and cheap, allowing for their routine use in clinical laboratories.

Selenium and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, being associated with various metabolic abnormalities. Micronutrients, including selenium (Se), are frequently used for ASD management. However, their efficiency remains unclear. Moreover, data on the role of Se metabolism in ASD are insufficient and contradictory. Therefore, the objective of this chapter is to review the existing data on Se status of children with ASD. Current data demonstrate that Se intake varies in children with ASD from low to high values in comparison to the daily recommendations. Similarly, data on Se status in ASD are also contradictory. Of 16 studies reviewed, eight indicate decreased Se levels in samples from autistic children, whereas six demonstrate opposite changes. Correspondingly, two recent meta-analyses failed to reveal any significant association between Se status and ASD. The activity of GPX in children with ASD is also highly variable from study to study. The observed difference in Se level in ASD patients may be related to different substrates used, as well as to specific features of the studied populations. However, the existing studies indicate involvement of Se imbalance in metabolic/psychometabolic disturbances in ASD. The mechanisms of a proposed Se neuroprotective effect in ASD may involve inhibition of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and microglia activation. In addition, synaptic dysfunction and gut-brain axis disturbances might be modified. However, further studies are required to highlight the mechanisms of the potential neuroprotective effects of Se in ASD as well as its efficiency in clinical trials.

Evaluation of Antitumor Activity of Platelet Microbicidal Protein on the Model of Transplanted Breast Cancer in CBRB-Rb(8.17)1Iem Mice

Breast cancer is the most common women’s cancer in the world. There is considerable current interest in developing anticancer agents with a new mode of action because of the development of resistance by cancer cells towards current anticancer drugs. Mamalian cells have been shown to contain small, cationic, microbicidal peptides. Antimicrobial peptides have drawn attention as a promising alternative to current antitumor agents. Such peptides have been isolated both from animal and human platelets and have been termed platelets microbicidal proteins (PMP). The aim of this work was to study antitumor activity of PMP in vivo on the model of mouse breast cancer in comparison with antitumor hexapeptide Arg-alpha-Asp-Lys-Val-Tyr-Arg (Immunofan). We demonstrated that the tumors treated with PMP were significant smaller than the control groups (P < 0.05). In experiments in vivo using CBRB-Rb(8.17)1Iem mice with transplanted tumors PMP inhibited tumor growth during the treatments and after its discontinuation. These findings indicate that PMP can exert antitumor effects. Therefore, PMP may be used for the development of therapy for the intervention of breast cancer.