The development and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis are significantly influenced by lifestyle, particularly nutrition. The modern level of science and technology development promote personalized nutrition as an efficient preventive measure against atherosclerosis. In this survey, the factors were revealed that contribute to the formation of an individual approach to nutrition: genetic characteristics, the state of the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and environmental factors (diets, bioactive components, cardioprotectors, etc.). In the course of the work, it was found that in order to analyze the predisposition to atherosclerosis associated with nutrition, genetic features affecting the metabolism of nutrients are significant. The genetic features include the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of genes and epigenetic factors. The influence of telomere length on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and circadian rhythms was also considered. Relatively new is the study of the relationship between chrono-nutrition and the development of metabolic diseases. That is, to obtain the relationship between nutrition and atherosclerosis, a large number of genetic markers should be considered. In this relation, the question arises: “How many genetic features need to be analyzed in order to form a personalized diet for the consumer?” Basically, companies engaged in nutrigenetic research and choosing a diet for the prevention of a number of metabolic diseases use SNP analysis of genes that accounts for lipid metabolism, vitamins, the body’s antioxidant defense system, taste characteristics, etc. There is no set number of genetic markers. The main diets effective against the development of atherosclerosis were considered, and the most popular were the ketogenic, Mediterranean, and DASH-diets. The advantage of these diets is the content of foods with a low amount of carbohydrates, a high amount of vegetables, fruits and berries, as well as foods rich in antioxidants. However, due to the restrictions associated with climatic, geographical, material features, these diets are not available for a number of consumers. The way out is the use of functional products, dietary supplements. In this approach, the promising biologically active substances (BAS) that exhibit anti-atherosclerotic potential are: baicalin, resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin and other plant metabolites. Among the substances, those of animal origin are popular: squalene, coenzyme Q10, omega-3. For the prevention of atherosclerosis through personalized nutrition, it is necessary to analyze the genetic characteristics (SNP) associated with the metabolism of nutrients, to assess the state of the microbiota of the GIT. Based on the data obtained and food preferences, as well as the individual capabilities of the consumer, the optimal diet can be selected. It is topical to exclude nutrients of which their excess consumption stimulates the occurrence and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and to enrich the diet with functional foods (FF), BAS containing the necessary anti-atherosclerotic, and stimulating microbiota of the GIT nutrients. Personalized nutrition is a topical preventive measure and there are a number of problems hindering the active use of this approach among consumers. The key factors include weak evidence of the influence of a number of genetic features, the high cost of the approach, and difficulties in the interpretation of the results. Eliminating these deficiencies will contribute to the maintenance of a healthy state of the population through nutrition.

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. The aim of this study was to validate chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of lung cancer patients living in a region with high air pollution and increased background radon levels as a biomarker of cancer risk. A total of 417 lung cancer patients and 468 control participants were analysed using a chromosome aberration assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The results showed that chromatid-type aberrations (2.26±1.58 vs. 1.60±1.58) and chromosome-type aberrations (CSAs) (0.96±1.36 vs. 0.42±0.70) in lung cancer patients were increased significantly in comparison with the controls. The most significant two-fold increase was detected for CSAs (nonsmoking patients: 0.84±1.54 vs. 0.41±0.73%, smoking patients: 0.99±1.31 vs. 0.44±0.67%). The frequency of dicentric and ring chromosomes, double minutes and rogue cells was significantly higher (P=0.002, 0.00002, 0.01, 0.0007) in the lung cancer patients. As both analysed groups lived in the same environment, our results show that increased radon levels were not the only source for the detected genome damage. Using binomial logistic regression, the estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for the main confounders (smoking, occupational exposure, age) were 1.31 (1.20–1.40) for chromatid-type aberrations, 1.28 (1.17–1.33), and 1.68 (1.49–1.88) for CSAs. It may be suggested that lung cancer patients show a significant increase in genome damage that may be caused by an interplay between exposure and individual low capacity of DNA repair, leading to genome instability.

Background: Recent findings indicate that the host microbiome can have a significant impact on the development of lung cancer by inducing an inflammatory response, causing dysbiosis, and generating genome damage. The aim of this study was to search for bacterial communities specifically associated with squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Methods: In this study, the taxonomic composition of the sputum microbiome of 40 men with untreated LUSC was compared with that of 40 healthy controls. Next-Generation sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes was used to determine the taxonomic composition of the respiratory microbiome. Results: There were no differences in alpha diversity between the LUSC and control groups. Meanwhile, differences in the structure of bacterial communities (β diversity) among patients and controls differed significantly in sputum samples (pseudo-F = 1.53; p = 0.005). Genera of Streptococcus, Bacillus, Gemella, and Haemophilus were found to be significantly enriched in patients with LUSC compared to the control subjects, while 19 bacterial genera were significantly reduced, indicating a decrease in beta diversity in the microbiome of patients with LUSC. Conclusions: Among other candidates, Streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae) emerges as the most likely LUSC biomarker, but more research is needed to confirm this assumption.

In this study, the frequency and spectrum of chromosomal aberrations were analysed in samples of peripheral blood from 372 (mean age = 12.24±2.60 years old) long-term resident children in a boarding school (Tashtagol city, Kemerovo Region, Russian Federation) under conditions of high exposure to radon and its decay products. As a control group, we used blood samples from people living in Zarubino village (Kemerovo Region, Russian Federation). We discovered that the average frequencies of single and double fragments, chromosomal exchanges, total number of aberrations, chromatid type, chromosome type and all types of aberrations were significantly increased in the exposed group. This is evidence of considerable genotoxicity to children living under conditions of high exposure to radon compared to children living under ecological conditions without increased radon radiation.

More than two billion people around the world are overweight or obese. Even in apparently healthy people, obesity has a potent effect on their quality of life. Experimental data indicate the role of infectious agents in systemic inflammation, revealing a correlation between the dietary habits of people with obesity and the level of systemic inflammation mediators, serum lipid concentration, and hormonal and immune status. This study aimed to determine the association of immune response and lipid metabolism gene polymorphisms with the risk of obesity. This study included 560 Caucasian participants living in Western Siberia (Russian Federation). A total of 52 polymorphic sites in 20 genes were analyzed using the 5′ TaqMan nuclease assay. Four risk-associated polymorphic variants were discovered—two variants in immune response genes (IL6R rs2229238, OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.36–2.7, p = 0.0002 in the dominant model; IL18 rs1946518, OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.03–2.04, p = 0.033 in the over-dominant model) and two variants in lipid metabolism genes (LPA rs10455872, OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.07–3.21, p = 0.026 in the log-additive model; LEPR rs1137100, OR = 2.88, 95% CI = 1.52–5.46, p = 0.001 in the recessive model). Thus, polymorphisms in immune response and lipid metabolism genes are potentially associated with the modification of obesity risk in the Caucasian population.