We studied the effect of human lactoferrin (hLf) on degenerative changes in the nigrostriatal system and associated behavioral deficits in the animal model of Parkinson disease. Nigrostriatal dopaminergic injury was induced by single administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP; 40 mg/kg) to five-month-old C57Bl/6 mice. Behavioral disturbances were assessed in the open field and rotarod tests and by the stride length analysis. Structural deficits were assessed by the counts of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra and optical density (OD) of TH-immunolabeled fibers in the striatum. Acute MPTP treatment induced long-term behavioral deficit and degenerative changes in the nigrostriatal system. Pretreatment with hLf prevented body weight loss and promoted recovery of motor functions and exploratory behavior. Importantly, OD of TH-positive fibers in the striatum of mice treated with hLf almost returned to normal, and the number of TH-positive cells in the substantia nigra significantly increased on day 28. These results indicate that hLf produces a neuroprotective effect and probably stimulates neuroregeneration under conditions of MPTP toxicity in our model. A relationship between behavioral deficits and nigrostriatal system disturbances at delayed terms after MPTP administration was found.

We studied the effects of human lactoferrin (hLf), a multifunctional protein from the transferrin family, on integral (survival, lifespan during the experiment, body weight, behavior, subfractional compositions of blood serum) and systemic (hemoglobin level, leukocyte number, differential leukocyte count, histological structure of the liver and spleen) parameters of the body in mice after acute gamma irradiation in a sublethal dose. The experiments were performed on male C57BL/6 mice. The mice in the experimental groups were exposed to whole-body gamma radiation in a dose of 7.5 Gy from a ⁶⁰Co source. Immediately after irradiation and 24 h after it, some animals received an intraperitoneal injection of hLf (4 mg/mouse). Single or repeated administration of hLf had a positive pleiotropic effect on irradiated animals: animal survival increased from 28% to 78%, and the mean life expectancy during the experiment (30 days) increased from 16 to 26 days. A compensatory effect of hLf on radiation-induced body weight loss, changes in homeostasis parameters, and a protective effect on the structural organization of the spleen were demonstrated. These data indicate that Lf has potential as a means of early therapy after radiation exposure.

Objectives: A method of continuous heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) recording was used for the evaluation of the cardiovascular system parameters in participants of short-term ( Material and Methods: A dynamic examination of participants of Arctic expeditions (30 men, residents of...

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional protein from the transferrin family. Of particular interest is the ability of Lf to affect a wide range of neuronal processes by modulating the expression of genes involved in long-term neuroplasticity. The expression of the immediate early gene c-fos that is rapidly activated in response to external influences, and its product, transcription factor c-Fos, is widely used as a marker of long-term neuronal plasticity. The present study aims to examine the effect of human Lf on the induction of transcription factor c-Fos in the primary mouse neuronal cultures after stimulation and to determine the cellular localization of human Lf and its colocalization with induced c-Fos protein. Primary dissociated cultures of hippocampal cells were obtained from the brains of newborn C57BL/6 mice (P0-P1). On day 7 of culturing, human Lf was added to the medium. After 24 h (day 8 in culture), c-Fos protein was induced in cells by triple application of 50 mM KCl. c-Fos content was analyzed using the immunofluorescent method 2 h after stimulation. Stimulation promoted exogenous Lf translocation into the nuclei of cultured neuronal cells, which correlated with increased induction of transcription factor c-Fos and was accompanied by nuclear colocalization of these proteins. These results attest to the potential of Lf as a modulator of neuronal processes and open up new prospects in studying the mechanisms of the regulatory effects of lactoferrin on cell function.

Introduction. The means and methods of computerized learning introduced into the education system in recent years are changing the attitude towards writing with a pen. Children are increasingly typing on a keyboard. This brings into focus research investigations aimed at identifying the possible influence of the above-mentioned type of educational activity on the indicators of psychomotor skills. The purpose of this research is to study accuracy and speed indicators of psychomotor coordination when working with hands in primary school students, depending on the amount of computer load (screen time). Materials and Methods. The study involved 4205 primary schoolchildren in grades 1-4 from 66 educational settings in Moscow (5 academic years, testing took place in October and March-April; all samples were independent). Indicators of psychomotor coordination (speed, accuracy, and smoothness of movements) when performing a motor test using "computer movement meter" (CMM) device were evaluated. The amount of lesson and out-of-school screen time was evaluated by teachers, relying on the hygiene standards: 0 points – no load, 1 point – compliance with hygiene standards, 2 points – twice exceeding the standards, 3 points – exceeding the standards by 3 or more times. Statistical data processing was performed using nonparametric criteria. Results. The research revealed the correlation between the total (lesson and out-of-school) screen time and indicators of psychomotor coordination in primary schoolchildren. The most obvious differences in psychomotor indices were found at the very beginning of school education – in October, in the 1st grade: in children with a minimum amount of computer load, the indicators of speed and accuracy were the worst. Speed indicators of psychomotor skills in groups of children (especially boys) with a high computer load have seasonal variability in the form of improvement by the end of the school year. Accurate indicators of psychomotor skills, on the contrary, with an increase in the amount of general computer load, lose variability and decrease. The smoothness of movements did not depend on the screen time. Conclusions. The identified changes in the psychomotor skills of primary school students who are active computer-users can be considered as a positive adaptive response in the form of developing new motor skills.