Biologichni Studii / Studia Biologica

Background. The OVA and patented OVA+ preparations (produced by NULES of Ukraine) were obtained according to O. V. Arnauta et al. (2021) by extracting biologically active compounds from the seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) using corn oil. Milk thistle seeds are a rich source of flavolignans, flavonoids, vitamins, tannins, macro- and microelements.
The patented preparation BioPhosphoMag (V3), also developed by NULES of Ukraine, is based on artificially phosphorylated casein from cow’s milk as a ligand and magnesium ions as a complexing agent (Palonko et al., 2022 a). These preparations possess protective properties and may enhance cellular adaptation processes (Khyzhniak et al., 2022; Palonko et al., 2022a,b). According to preliminary data, the preparations exhibit choleretic activity and help stabilize liver and digestive functions. Their potential effects on the metabolism of immune system cells require further study.
Considering that the immune system is adaptive and functions to protect the body by suppressing pathogenic microorganisms and tumor growth through a series of coordina­ted signals that regulate activation, proliferation, and differentiation of T cell populations, the aim of this study was to assess proliferative activity, cell viability, and SH-group levels in lymphocytes under the influence of the OVA, OVA+, and V3 protective agents.
Materials and Methods. The study evaluated mitochondrial dehydrogenase acti­vity using the MTT assay, glucose levels in the culture medium via the glucose oxidase method, and the concentrations of total and protein-bound SH-groups in T lymphocytes exposed to OVA, OVA+, and V3.
Results. A comparative analysis of the effects of OVA, OVA+, and V3 on cultured T lymphocytes of the MT-4 cell line and primary rat T lymphocyte cultures confirmed the safety of these biopreparations within the tested concentration range (0.031–1.0 mg/mL). OVA+ significantly increased mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (MTT assay), indicating enhanced cell viability compared to the control, while OVA exhibited slight suppression. Glucose levels in the culture medium remained unchanged under OVA and V3 treatment. However, OVA+ treatment resulted in a 1.5-fold (p <0.05) and 2-fold (p <0.05) increase in glucose levels in primary rat T lymphocyte cultures and MT-4 cells, respectively, compared to the control. Furthermore, the levels of total and protein-bound SH-groups in MT-4 cells were significantly elevated under OVA+ treatment, while no changes were observed with OVA or V3.
Conclusions. V3, OVA and OVA+ preparations do not exhibit cytotoxic or cytostatic effects on T lymphocytes. The most pronounced effect is exerted by the OVA+ preparation, which causes an increase in the level of glucose in the culture medium and the activity of dehydrogenases, as well as an increase in the content of SH-groups in cells, which indicates its potential in supporting cellular metabolism and protection. At the same time, V3 and OVA demonstrated a neutral effect under the specified conditions.