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In 62 children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and 32 with gastroduodenitis (DG) aged 9-17 years, the peculiarities of metabolism of collagen were studied. High levels of fractions of sialic acids were set, that was associated with the protein fructose, fractions of hydroxyproline in children with GERD compared with the patients with DG, which testify to the process of degradation of collagen and may be one of the factors contributing to the local inflammation of the esophagus and gastroduodenal zone of the digestive tract. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori, as well as violations of diet, play an important role in maintaining the inflammatory process.

A procedure has been developed for simultaneous determination of the activities of alpha-D- and beta-D-mannosidase in the biological fluids from the quantity of free 4-nitrophenol. The latter is released via enzymatic degradation of substrates of 4-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-mannose and 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-mannose in individual incubation tests.

A technique has been developed to determine free and peptide-bound hydroxyproline in blood serum. It is based on the principle of chloramine oxidation of hydroxyproline and condensation of oxidation products with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. Data on changes in the serum level of hydroxyproline in children with acute pneumonia and in pregnant women are presented.

Daily double spinal immobilizations (for 60 minutes, at intervals of 7-8 hours) for 3 days were studied for their impact on the metabolism of hexosamine-containing biopolymers in the mucosa of the stomach and lung in male rats of different ages (kids, adults, and olds). At the same time, the highest increases in the level of hexosamine glycane, glycoprotein, and hexosamine-containing glycopeptides and a rise in the activity of the lysosomal enzymes N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.52) and alpha-L-fucosidase (EC 3.2.1.51) were revealed in the gastric mucosal homogenates in the growing rats.

A procedure has been developed for simultaneous determination of the activity of a-L-fucosidase (EC 3.2.1.5 1) and the beta-D-fucosidase activity caused by beta-D-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23, Form IV) in serum. The paper presents data on changes in the above serum enzymatic activities in an experiment, in children with recurrent laryngotracheitis and in pregnant females with gestosis and placental insufficiency.

Aim: To reveal metabolic disturbances of connective tissue main substance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to assess their informative value in determination of treatment efficacy., Material and Methods: Peripheral blood of 130 COPD patients was studied for total glycosaminoglycanes, hyaluronidase activity, sialic acids fractions (free, oligobound and proteinbound), fucose fractions (oligobound and proteinbound) and activity of sialidase., Results: The levels of total glycosaminoglycanes, sialo- and fucose-containing compounds in the blood change with COPD severity and phase of the disease., Conclusion: The data obtained may be used to assess activity of respiratory inflammation and efficacy of the treatment.

We studied the content of collagen metabolites in patients with duodenal ulcer (blood plasma, urea, and samples of the duodenal mucous tunic and mouth fluid). We also defined the role of an affected collagen metabolism in the formation and cicatrization of duodenal ulcer; finally, we ascertained that the nature of the detected changes in different biological substrate is unidirectional.

A new modification was designed to determine the activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (NAH) in biological fluids. The properties of enzyme molecules to adsorb themselves on chitin at pH 4.5 were made use of within the case study. The mean NAH activity, in urine of virtually healthy children and adults, was shown to be equal, within a span time of 1 h, to 12.8 and 22.3 mumole of formed 4-nitrophenol/per 1 mmole of creatinine. The above mean NAH parameter was, in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women, 696 nmole of 4-nitrophenol/per 1 ml in 1 h. The NAH activity was studied in renal pathologies and in delayed intrauterine development of the fetus.

A new method was suggested that provides for a simultaneous determination of protein- and oligomer-bound fucose in blood serum. The level of such compounds in blood serum was shown to be increasing with age and in certain diseases.

A method for lysozyme measurement in the urine is developed, based on adsorption of lysozyme molecules on the surface of chitin. The urine of healthy children, men, and women contains 1.76, 1.51, and 1.69 mg/liter lysozyme, respectively. Urinary lysozyme values in some diseases are presented.

In exacerbation of chronic gastroduodenitis in children an increase in the content of decay products of glycoprotein components and a decrease of protein-bound fucosa were recorded in the basal and stimulated portions of gastric juice. The change of mucous glycoprotein properties and, therefore, mucous protective barrier of the stomach are important factors in pathogenesis of chronic gastroduodenitis exacerbation in children.

A method for measuring fucose not bound to proteins in the serum is developed. The level of this enzyme is shown to increase with age. It is increased in adult patients with myeloma, liver cirrhosis, and rheumatic fever and in children with exacerbations of chronic osteomyelitis and gastroduodenitis.

The components of periodontal connective tissue were studied on days 28-30 after replantation of the teeth with the extra-alveolar time 5, 15, and 30 min. The levels of collagen, glucosaminoglycanes, sialic acids, and activity of sialidase increased at extra-alveolar time 30 min by 44, 33, and 20, and 85%, respectively. Introduction of potassium hyaluronate in dental wells reduced the sail collagen growth in the periodontal tissue.

A method for sialidase (neuraminidase; EC 3.2.1.18) measurements in the blood serum and saliva has been developed. The activity of this enzyme in the blood serum manifests in repeated intensive stressogenic exposures, malignant tumors and acute respiratory diseases. Salivary sialidase activity is elevated in the patients with multiple dental caries.

A method for simultaneous measurements of free, oligomer-bound and protein-bound sialic acids in the blood serum, saliva, and tissue homogenates is offered. The results of these parameters measurements after stressogenic exposures and in some diseases are presented.

Vitamin K (vikasol) and pelentan were examined for their effects of periodontal tissue levels of collagen, hexosamine-containing biopolymers and sialoglycoproteins. During tooth replantation in dogs, vitamin K was demonstrated to elevate the levels of collagen, hexosamine-containing polymers in periodontal tissue by 25.8, 19.9, and 36.1%, respectively, whereas pelentan lowered the above parameters.

Some patterns of connective tissue metabolism were studied in rabbit blood and aorta after local administration of angiotensin II into lateral ventricle of brain and ventromedian nucleus of hypothalamus. Within the first 10 days of the chronic experiments catabolism of connective tissue predominated, while anabolic processes, accompanied by accumulation of collagen in aorta, were elevated within 30 days. The alterations observed were most distinct after microinjection of angiotensin II into hypothalamus. Both modulating effect of angiotensin II on the adrenohypophysial system and the peptide immediate action were apparently responsible for alterations in metabolism of connective tissue-related biopolymers.

The experimental findings showed that the content of hexosamine-containing biopolymers, in periodontal tissue increased by 38.23 and 124% conformably over 14 days after replantation of 4 teeth of the dogs. The indices normalized in 28 days of the experiment. Investigated biochemical parameters in the root of replantation tooth, in osseus tissues of alveolus 2nd blood. Changed slightly in dynamics.

A test for free hydroxyproline in blood plasma, urine, and wound exudate was conducted in a group of children who were operated on for acute catarrhal and destructive forms of appendicitis in an uncomplicated or complicated post-operative wound process. The changes in the concentration of the biochemical index were most regular in the wound exudate. Free hydroxyproline increased after the operation, reached highest values in 48 hours, and then reduced coming close to the control values 5-6 days after. In wound complications it increased three- to four-fold as compared to the control values, which could serve as an informative test in predicting the course of the postoperative wound process in children.

A method of measuring urinary free, peptide- and protein-bound hydroxyproline is suggested. Adults were found to excrete 18 mumol of free, 155 mumol of peptide-bound, and 8 mumol of protein-bound hydroxyproline daily. In children daily urinary levels of free and peptide-bound hydroxyproline were higher. Data are presented on changes in various hydroxyproline forms in pneumonia, rheumatic fever, and hemorrhagic fever with the renal syndrome.

A method for measurement of the blood serum (plasma) oligobiopolymerized sialic acids (OSA) has been developed, making use of the known procedures for measuring these amino sugars. Blood OSA levels of normal subjects and intact rats have made up 59.6 +/- 2.3 and 79.0 +/- 3.4 mg/l, respectively. OSA levels were shown to rise in immobilization stress (by 36 percent), aseptic granulomas (by 28 percent), and active phase of rheumatic fever (by 128 percent). The method is recommended for clinical diagnostic studies as an additional diagnostic test.

Content of catecholamines, 11-hydroxycorticosteroids, free and bound hydroxyproline in blood as well as metabolism of collagen in rabbit aorta wall were studied after electrostimulation and bilateral electrocoagulation of brain amygdaloid complex. The stimulation was shown to alter the content of adrenal gland hormones and activated the collagen metabolism in aorta wall. After electrocoagulation within the first month content of noradrenaline, 11-hydroxycorticosteroids and accumulation of collagen in aorta tissue were decreased.

Collagen metabolism was studied in 120 male patients with diabetes mellitus of different standing and severity. Collagen metabolism was assessed on the basis of free and peptide-bound blood hydroxyproline (FH and PBH). Collagen distruction prevailed over its biosynthesis in development and progress of diabetic microangiopathies, that resulted in the increased FH/PBH coefficient. Prolonged multimodality therapy of diabetes vascular complications led to a decrease in the FH level and simultaneous growth of PBH concentrations in the blood. The FH/PBH coefficient is an informative test for monitoring the vascular status in diabetes mellitus; this coefficient may be an indicator of the efficacy of treatment of diabetic microangiopathies.

The influence of ascorbic acid on the content and intracellular distribution of ubiquinone in the tissues of K-avitaminotic rats was investigated. Following introduction of pelentan (30--40 mg/kg), a vitamin K antagonist, a rise in the level of ubiquinone in all of the study organs, occurring both at the expense of the post-mitochondrial fraction of the liver, heart, spleen and also at that of the cardiac and splenic mitochondria, could be registered. The ubiquinone concentration in hepatic mitochondria was going down. In K-avitaminotic rats, which received ascorbic acid, the co-enzyme content in the tissues approached control values. Vitamin C exerted a positive action on the ubiquinone level in the mitochondria of the liver, heart and spleen. The cited data suggest that vitamin C abolishes manifestations of the K-vitamin deficiency affecting the ubiquinone pool and secures its optimal content in the mitochondria. Considering the significance of vitamins K, C and ubiquinone in the tissular redox processes an interaction of the said vitamins at the level of the tissue respiration chain is presumed.

In rats with hyper- and hypovitaminosis the contents were determined of acid mucopolysaccharides (MPS) on the basis of contents of hexuronic acids; the total contents of biopolymers containing hexosamines (acid MPS, glycoproteins), on the basis of contents of hexosamines in the aortic wall and in the liver; and the activity of glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (GPAT; EC 2.6.1.16) in the liver. Menadione-induced K hypervitaminosis was accompanied by moderate elevations of indicators of MPS metabolism. Protracted administration of ethyl biscoumacetate or sodium salicylate lowered the contents of acid MPS and of biopolymers containing hexosamines in the aortic wall and in the liver. Simultaneously, the GPAT activity in the liver markedly decreased.

It has been shown that pregnancy specific beta 1-globulin (SBG) is found in the rat blood serum on the 6--7th day of pregnancy. SBG reaches the maximum by the end of pregnancy and is not detected already at the 3d--4th day after delivery. The placenta is the site of the SBG snythesis. Other organs of the pregnant rat are not able to incorporate radioactive aminoacids into the protein in vitro.

The content of hexos-amines and proteins in glycoproteins (perchloric acid-soluble) of the liver and blood serum of rats following an excess administration of vitamin K (vikasol) and its antagonists--pelenten and large doses of sodium salicylate for a space of 15 days was studied. With hypovitaminosis K the content of glycoproteins in the liver and blood serum declines, while the ratio of the proteins and hexose-amines-- goes up. With its simultaneous administration with pelentan vikasol prevents the development of these changes.

The experimental findings showed that hydrocortisone effect on metabolism of hexosamine-containing biopolymers of the stomach was dose-dependent. When administered in a small dose (0.2 mg/kg body weight) it increased the activity of biosynthesis of hexosamines, which are necessary for the formation of hexosamine-containing biopolymers, and also increased the total content in the gastric wall of biopolymers, glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins soluble in perchloric acid. Administration of a large dose of the hormone (50 mg/kg) produced opposite changes in the studied tissue. In patients with peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, exacerbation of which occurred against the background of stress-induced hypercorticosteroidemia, there was observed a decrease of glycosaminoglycan content in the gastric juice and mucosa. A decrease of hexosamine content in glycoproteins was noted.

Several patterns of glycosaminoglycans (GAG's) metabolism in gastric tissue were studied in patients with acute form of gastric and duodenal ulcerous disease, caused and accompanied by multiple stressors . Similar studies were carried out in rats under conditions of stress caused by daily immobilization (in dorsal position) within 8 days. Under these stressor conditions distinct increase of 11-oxycorticosteroids content in blood was related to inhibition of hexosamines biosynthesis in gastric wall and to a decrease in content of GAG-s in gastric juice, mucosal membrane and wall cells. The rate of synthesis of hexosamines and hexuronic acids was increased, while content of GAG's was normalized in gastric tissues during adaptation of rats to the immobilization stress conditions, when moderate elevation in the 11-oxycorticosteroids content was observed.

The blood catecholamine, 11-hydroxycorticosteroid and free hydroxyproline content and collagen metabolism in the rabbit aortic wall were studied under conditions of chronic electrostimulation and bilateral amygdaloid electrocoagulation. It was found that electrostimulation of the amygdaloid lateral nucleus causes changes in the adrenocorticotropin content, activating collagen metabolism and accumulation in the aortic wall. A fall of the noradrenaline, 11-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration and activation of collagen metabolism, accompanied by its accumulation in the aortic wall, are seen during the 1st month after electrocoagulation.

The levels of free and peptide-bound hydroxyproline, hexosamines, glycosaminoglycans and elastolytic blood plasma activity were found to be altered in patients with myocardial infarction. The shifts in these indicators depended on the disease standing and the type of anticoagulant therapy.

Secondary vitamin K deficiency in rats caused by pelentan was accompanied by a decrease in the total collagen content and a rise in free oxyproline in the skin. Under these conditions the rate of collagen hydrolysis proved to increase. Vitamin K (vikasol) prevented development of the mentioned shifts in collagen metabolism.

A study was made of the content of insoluble elastin in the tissues and of elastolytic activity of the blood serum at varying supply of the rat body with vitamin K. It was revealed that long-term (for 1 month) excess administration of vicasol (10 mg/kg) did not change elastin metabolism. In the course of the development of alimentary K-avitaminosis, blood elastolytic activity was first inhibited and then dramatically rose (by 93.4%). The latter finding was in a good agreement with a decrease in the level of insoluble elastin in the aorta wall and skin. After exposure of rats to pelentan, an antagonist of vitamin K, for 15-20 days the activity of the enzymes responsible for elastin breakdown was steadily inhibited. Nevertheless the skin elastin content decreased by 16.1%. It has been shown that the reduction of the elastin content in the connective tissue is not related to the changes in the diet. The evidence obtained attests to the involvement of vitamin K in elastin metabolism.

Metabolism of connective tissue biopolymers was studied under conditions of various content of vitamin K in the body. The data obtained suggest the existence of a new metabolic effect of vitamin K--its participation as an allosteric activator in regulation of glucosamine synthetase (EC 5.3.1.19). The anabolic effect of vitamin K on connective tissue is apparently related to an increase in the rate of biosynthesis of glucosamine-6-phosphate--general precursor of glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins and hexosamine-containing glycolipids.

Content of mucopolysaccharides was studied by a test for hexuronic acids and hexosamines in day urine of men and women at the age of 20-80, and older. Mucopolysaccharides were precipitated with ethanol. In urine content of mucopolysaccharides was slightly increased up to the age tof 40-54 and later on it was decreased. Content of acid mucopolysaccharides was lower in urine of women aged 20-29 than in urine of men of the same age group.

The content of carbohydrate-containing bipolymers in the tissues of aorta, skin and blood serum of rabbits was studied under the effect of electrostimulation of supraoptical, ventromedial and medial mammillary nuclei of hypothalamus. The stimulation of supraoptical and ventromedial nuclei of hypothalamus is shown to be accompanied by an increase in the amount of collagen, glycosaminoglycans, sialic acids and glycoproteins which was estimated by the content of protein and hexosamines. Stimulation of the medial mammillary nucleus causes opposite changes.