Institute of
bioorganic chemistry

Researchers from the Laboratory of Neuroreceptors and Neuroregulators (group leader - Sergei Kozlov) found alkaloid lindoldhamine in the leaves of the noble laurel, which can activate the human ASIC3 channel at physiological pH. They reported that acidification of the extracellular medium is not essential for the opening of this channel. Molecules, closely related to the structure of lindolhamine, are produced in the human body during the inflammation and can also activate and alter the functioning of acid-sensitive channels. Regulation of the intracellular synthesis pathways of these endogenous molecules can be a new therapeutic strategy for a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of pain and inflammation.

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Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) take part in neurotransmission and control the homeostasis of epithelial cells. Group of bioengineering of neuromodulators and neuroreceptors headed by Ekaterina Lyukmanova, Ph.D., studies the influence of human SLURP proteins on the nAChRs in epithelium. In their recent research, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, investigators proved that SLURPs inhibit the growth of epithelial cancer cells of four carcinomas of epithelial origin, and described the underlying mechanisms. These results show the prospects of implementation of the SLURP proteins for the therapy of epithelial tumours.

The Joint Life Sciences Forum, including the International Scientific Conference in bioorganic chemistry "XII conference dedicated to the Memory of Academician Yuri A. Ovchinnikov" and the VIII Russian Symposium "Proteins and Peptides" with a Young Scientists Competition, was held at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS at 18-22 September, 2017. The leading foreign experts who visited the forum named it one of the main scientific events in the field of Life Sciences in the world in this year.

Laboratory of Biological Tests of the Branch of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry (BICh) received an order from a European company for preclinical animal studies, which will be conducted in accordance with world standards. Thus, for the first time, Russia will export high-tech services such as pre-clinical research for foreign countries.

Russian scientists together with foreign colleagues extended the shine time of fluorescent label in live cells. Light is emitted longer due to the continuous exchange of fluorogenic dyes interacting with special protein labels. The method which was described in the Chemical Science journal will simplify the live cells staining and provide new opportunities for research. This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation.