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Aim: To assess influence of toll-like receptors (TLR) ligands on the production of proinflammatory cytokine (TNFalpha) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from 13 patients with AMI on 1st and 14th day and from 17 healthy donors were stimulated by peptidoglycan, poly(I:C), lypopolysacchide, zimozan, flagellin and CpG oligodeoxynucleotides, which are ligands of TLR1/2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR2/6, TLR5 and TLR9 respectively. Spontaneous and induced by ligands production of TNFalpha was evaluated in supernatants of PBMC., Results: Increased spontaneous production of TNFalpha by PBMC in patients with AIM was revealed on 1st day of the disease. Ligands of TLR2/6 and TLR4 demonstrated marked stimulatory effect on the production of TNFalpha by PBMC in patients with AMI compared with group of healthy subjects., Conclusion: Increased production of TNFalpha by PBMC in patients with AMI indicates the activation of TLR2 and TLR4 on PBMC. Hyperactivation of TLRs during acute pathologic conditions results in excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines, specifically TNFalpha, and can induce damage of cells and tissues involved in acute pathologic process.

The effect of interferon inducers of viral and nonviral nature as well as of exogenous leukocyte interferon on interferon response of leukocytes (IRL) was studied in patients with different rheumatic diseases, mostly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies in vitro showed that synthetic polyribonucleotide poly(1) X poly(C) induced in SLE patients on the average 3 times as high IRL indices as the viral interferon inducer Newcastle disease virus. A two-week course of treatment of some SLE patients with exogenous leukocyte interferon in various dosages (10(6), 3 X 10(5), and 10(4) units) resulted in a 2--16-fold increase of IRL values in the majority of the patients.

Investigation of interferon inductor (poly IC) in vitro (chick embryon fibroblasts) and in vivo (mice) showed that the main parameters of the preparation effect, i. e. induction of interferon and development of resistance to viruses are as a whole quite comparable. The phenomenon of hyporeactivity in the both systems was reproduced on repeated use of the inductor. At the same time significant differences in the stimulating effect of DEAE-dextran were registered. The merits and demerits of the in vitro system for using in studies on antiviral drugs of the above type are discussed.

A study was made of the incidence of antibodies to bispiral synthetic polynucleotide (poly E, poly C). In patients with allergoses and in healthy persons antibodies to bispiral RNA were revealed in 14% of cases, in patients with rheumatism--in 40.9% and with rheumatoid arthritis--in 50% of cases. It is supposed that more frequent detection of antibodies to bispiral RNA in patients with rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis is associated with persistence of the RNA-containing viruses.

125I-labeled double-stranded polyribonucleotide complex was used for detection of antibodies to double-stranded RNA in sera from people and immunized animals by the method of immune complex adsorption by the nitrocellulose filters. The technique is simple and sensitive. Antibodies to double-stranded RNA WERE detected in sera from patients with different diseases and from normal individuals. Systemic lupus erythematosus sera contain as a rule higher amounts of antibodies to double-stranded RNA. Often these antibodies were measured together with those directed towards native and denatured DNA. Anti-double-stranded RNA antibodies from sera of immunised animals and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are highly specific.