The effects of stromal cell cultures isolated from breast cancer tissue on the differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells and proliferation of lymphocytes were studied in vitro. The derived cultures had the fibroblast-like morphology and carried mesenchymal markers CD73 and CD90 in the absence of epithelial (CD326, CD24) and macrophage (CD68) markers. The cells also expressed CD44, CD10, and CD29 and had low levels of HLA-ABC expression. Intracellular expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP), tenascin C, and α-SMA indicated their activated state and stromal origin. Analysis of the functional properties of the cells revealed their ability to suppress differentiation of dendritic cells from monocytes, as well as the proliferation of T lymphocytes. However, they had no significant effect on DC maturation. The results demonstrate that fibroblasts in the tumor stroma of breast cancer may have a suppressive effect on important mechanisms of the adaptive immunity and can be involved in the process of tumor escape from the immunological control.

Objective. To study the efficacy of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of blood plasma in the diagnosis of endometrial pathologies. Materials and methods. Plasma samples from 48 women aged 22 to 63 years were examined using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (polyp: 31 samples, hyperplasia: 10 samples, control: 7 samples). Three spectra were recorded for each sample. The analysis of spectral characteristics of the colloidal medium with dried samples was performed on a test bench consisting of a spectrometric system (RamanLife RL785, FOTON-BIO LLC, Russia) based on a CCD detector and microscope (ADF U300, ADF, China). A silver substrate based on dried silver colloid was used as SERS substrate to realize the effect of Raman signal amplification. Results. The accuracy of differentiating endometrial polyps from the control group and endometrial hyperplasia for the calibration and validation sets was 83% and 81%, respectively (sensitivity: 62%, specificity: 91% for the validation set). The accuracy of differentiating the control group from endometrial hyperplasia and polyp was 64% and 71%, and hyperplasia from the control group and polyp was 64% and 67%, respectively. Conclusion. This study demonstrated the possibility of using Raman spectroscopy in clinical practice to diagnose endometrial pathologies. Key words: hyperplasia, discriminant analysis, projection to latent structures, blood plasma, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, polyp

Background. Cryoprecipitate is made from fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) and contains fibrinogen, factor VIII, factor XIII, von Willebrand factor, fibronectin and fibrinogen.Aim. To provide information on the composition and methods of production, storage, transportation and clinical use of cryoprecipitate.General findings. Cyoprecipitate is manufactured by slowly thawing FFP at 1–6°C. This precipitates out cryoproteins: factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, factor XIII, fibronectin and fibrinogen. After centrifugation, the cryoproteins are resuspended in a reduced volume of plasma. Cryoprecipitate is stored at temperatures not exceeding –25° С for 36 months. Indications for cryoprecipitate transfusion are hemophilia A, von Willebrand disease, factor XIII deficiency, congenital afibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia, acquired hypofibrinogenemia. These indications can occur in obstetrics, neonatology, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, hematology, orthopaedics, and general surgery during liver transplantation and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Adherence to proper indications for red blood cells (RBC) transfusion is essential because of its potential adverse effects and costs of therapy. Aim of these recommendations is to summarize typed of RBC concentrates and indications for RBC transfusions among different categories of the patients. Methods. The methodological approaches are based on the recommendations of the Russian expert council (leading specialists of the Russian Federation) and literature search for randomized clinical trials evaluating RBC storage duration, hemoglobin thresholds and clinical indications for RBC transfusion without language restrictions. Results. The draft clinical guidelines were reviewed on February 1, 2018 at First Russian Transfusiology Congress of the (Vladivostok). The main types of RBC concentrates, storage duration, transport conditions and indications for RBC transfusions are presented. The indications for RBC transfusions are analyzed for various clinical conditions (in obstetrics, neonatology, hematology, cardiology, neurosurgery, nephrology, in patients with sepsis and septic shock, patients with acute blood loss, in patients after hematopoietic stem cell and organ transplantation). Conclusion. The recommendations are intended for doctors of various specialties, health administrators, medical students.

Adherence to proper indications for red blood cells (RBC) transfusion is essential because of its potential adverse effects and costs of therapy. Aim of these recommendations is to summarize typed of RBC concentrates and indications for RBC transfusions among different categories of the patients. Methods. The methodological approaches are based on the recommendations of the Russian expert council (leading specialists of the Russian Federation) and literature search for randomized clinical trials evaluating RBC storage duration, hemoglobin thresholds and clinical indications for RBC transfusion without language restrictions. Results. The draft clinical guidelines were reviewed on February 1, 2018 at First Russian Transfusiology Congress of the (Vladivostok). The main types of RBC concentrates, storage duration, transport conditions and indications for RBC transfusions are presented. The indications for RBC transfusions are analyzed for various clinical conditions (in obstetrics, neonatology, hematology, cardiology, neurosurgery, nephrology, in patients with sepsis and septic shock, patients with acute blood loss, in patients after hematopoietic stem cell and organ transplantation). Conclusion. The recommendations are intended for doctors of various specialties, health administrators, medical students.

Cell therapy of the nervous system disorders using neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) proved its efficacy in preclinical and pilot clinical studies. The mechanisms of the beneficial effects of NSPCs transplantation include replacement of damaged cells, paracrine activation of the regeneration, and immunomodulation. Detailed assessment of NSPCs-induced immunomodulation can contribute to better control of autoimmune reactions and inflammation in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Interactions of NSPCs with dendritic cells (DCs), the key players in the induction of the immune system response to antigens are of particular interest. Here, we demonstrate that co-culturing of monocytes with NSPCs obtained and grown utilizing serum-containing medium instead of growth factor-containing serum-free medium, results in total suppression of monocyte differentiation into DCs. The effect is similar to the action of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). No significant effect on DCs maturation was observed. Cultures of NSPCs set up and maintained in serum-free medium have no influence on monocyte differentiation and DCs maturation. Therefore, the effects of NSPCs upon DC differentiation from monocytes strongly depend on culture conditions, whereas the molecular marker expression patterns are similar in both types of NSPCs cultures. In broader prospective, it means that cells with almost identical phenotypes can display opposite immunological properties depending upon culture conditions. It should be taken into account when developing NSPCs-based cell products for regenerative medicine.

We studied immunosuppressive properties of skin fibroblasts and mesenchymal stromal cells against NK cells. In vitro experiments showed that mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from human umbilical cord and human skin fibroblasts can considerably attenuate cytotoxic activity of NK cells against Jurkat cells sensitive to NK-mediated lysis. NK cells cultured in lymphocyte population exhibited higher cytotoxic activity than isolated NK cells. Mesenchymal stromal cells or fibroblasts added 1:1 to lymphocyte culture almost completely suppressed NK cell cytotoxicity. This suggests that fibroblast-like cells can suppress not only isolated NK cells, but also NK cells in natural cell microenvironment.

Changes in cell composition and viability as well as the content and functional activity of hemopoietic progenitor cells were analyzed during long-term (up to 1 month at 4°C) storage of human umbilical cord blood cells. No significant quantitative changes in erythrocytes were found during this period. The total content and viability of leukocytes changed, which resulted in the prevalence of mononuclear cells (lymphocytes and monocytes). Analysis of functional activity of hemopoietic stem cells in semisolid culture revealed a decrease in the relative content of CFU during the first week of culturing and inability of cells to colony formation after 2 weeks.