The group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are particularly dangerous for the environment and by consequence for human health because of the risk to be transmitted in the food chain. Among them, the urgent problem of obsolete and forbidden organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) needs a rigorous management in many countries, including Kazakhstan. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of pesticides content in food products on the genetic status and health of the population living on the contaminated areas near destroyed warehouses for OCPs (4 villages of Talgar district and 1 control site, Almaty region). The food products sampled in Taukaraturyk (control site), and in 4 villages where non-utilized obsolete pesticides were discovered: Beskainar, Kyzylkairat, Amangeldy, and Belbulak. The contents of 24 pesticides in food products from plant (apples, pears, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers) and animal (beef meat, cow milk, honey) origin, that grown in places of localization of non-utilized OCPs, were determined, sometimes in high and unacceptably high concentrations (before 2500 times over MRL). In pears, the pesticides content (especially DDT, γ-HCH, β-HCH, endosulfan, and aldrin pesticide group), was higher than in other fruits. Among vegetables, the highest levels of all groups of pesticide were found in cucumbers. Beef meat samples demonstrated increased contents of β-HCH, γ-HCH, endrin and dieldrin. In cow milk samples only the high concentration of dieldrin was found. The content of pesticides in meat was 4-5 times higher than in milk. The medical examinations, carried out among the cohorts living around the polluted by pesticides territories and control cohort from ecologically favorable village, showed that there were more individuals with high and middle levels of somatic health in the control group than in groups exposed to OCPs. The long-term effect of the pesticide contamination of the environment on genetic status of the population was assessed by chromosomal aberration (CA) frequencies. The highest level of chromosomal aberrations was identified for the examined residents of Kyzylkairat (41%) and Belbulak (38%), a high level in Amangeldy (12%), and middle level in Beskainar (6.5%). The association between the CA frequency, health status and the pesticides contents in food were assessed by a Spearman rank correlation. The low indicators of somatic health status were strictly associated with high levels of CA, and good health status indicates that the CA rates did not exceed the spontaneous level of mutagenesis. The strongest correlation was shown between high levels of chromosomal aberrations and the content of different pesticides in pears (Cr = 0.979-0.467), tomatoes (Cr = 0.877-0.476), cucumbers (Cr = 0.975-0.553) and meat (Cr = 0.839-0.368). The obtained results highlight the need to improve health protection by increasing the public awareness to the security of the storage of obsolete OCPs in order to strengthen food safety by efficient control services.

The long-term storage of unutilized pesticides raised new problems of long-term environmental contamination. The study presents the results of surveying 151 individuals in 7 villages living close to pesticide-contaminated localities. All individuals have been surveyed concerning their consumption habits and lifestyle characteristics. An assessment of the general exposure risks of the local population was carried out using the analysis of pollutants in food products and the average levels of their consumption in the region. The cohort risk evaluation revealed that the greatest risk was associated with the regular consumption of cucumbers, pears, bell peppers, meat, and milk. The new model to estimate individual risks of long-term pesticide pollution was proposed as a calculation of the combined action of 9 risk factors, including individual genotypes, age, lifestyle, and personal pesticide consumption rates. The analysis of the predictive ability of this model showed that the final score for individual health risks corresponded to the development of chronic diseases. A high level of chromosomal aberrations was evidenced for individual genetic risk manifestations. The combined influence of all risk factors revealed contributions of 24.7% for health status and 14.2% for genetic status, while other impacts go to all unaccounted factors.

The association of genetic polymorphisms with the individual sensitivity of humans to the action of pesticide pollution is being actively studied in the world. The aim of this study was a molecular epidemiological analysis of candidate polymorphisms of genes involved in pesticide metabolism, detoxification, and antioxidant protection. Some of the selected polymorphisms also relate to susceptibility to cancer and cardiovascular, respiratory, and immune system diseases in individuals exposed to pesticides for a long time. For a case-control study of a unique cohort of people exposed to organochlorine pesticides for 10 years or more were chosen, a control cohort was selected that matched with the experimental group by the main population characteristics. PCR-PRLF and genome-wide microarray genotyping (GWAS) methods were used. We identified 17 polymorphisms of xenobiotic detoxification genes and 27 polymorphisms of antioxidant defense genes, which had a significantly high statistical association with the negative impact of chronic pesticide intoxication on human health. We also found 17 polymorphisms of xenobiotic detoxification genes and 12 polymorphisms of antioxidant defense genes that have a protective effect. Data obtained added to the list of potential polymorphisms that define a group at high risk or resistant to the negative effects of pesticides.

Identifying and studying genetic polymorphisms that determine the phenotype of elite athletes is a highly relevant task, as it forms the basis for developing so-called sports genetic passports. The aim of this manuscript was to analyze genetic markers for the development of athletic qualities (strength, power, speed, and endurance) through a selective systematic review of the literature. This review allowed to select SNPs that are responsible for individual athletic qualities based on the functions of their gene products, proposing an interpretation of sports markers for genetic passports. These markers can provide scientists in physical culture and sports medicine with the latest and most compelling evidence in the field of exercise genomics. A panel of 40 of the most popular genetic markers associated with athletic performance, responsible for strength, speed, and endurance, has been presented.

Asthma is a heterogeneous and polygenic disease, with numerous genes involved in immune regulation and respiratory epithelial function. However, currently identified genetic variants explain only part of asthma heritability. Environmental factors including smoking, stress, obesity, diet, occupational exposure, respiratory viral infections, early-life allergen exposure, low physical activity and air pollution (PM _2.5 ) play an important role in disease development. The literature results also suggest that exposure to PM _2.5 may increase the risk of asthma, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals. The aim of this narrative review was to provide an overview of environmental and genetic factors associated with asthma and to analyze the role of genetic risk variants and fine particulate matter (PM _2.5 ) in the development of the disease. This review summarizes the current evidence on genetic and environmental factors involved in both the development of bronchial asthma and the determination of its severity, with an emphasis on their interaction

All over the world, there is an active search for genes that are responsible for the formation of predisposition to allergic diseases, which is associated both with the undoubted relevance of studying risk factors for the development of allergies, and with the emergence of new opportunities for genetic research. In addition, anthropogenic impact can cause allergic reactions and modifications in the functions of antioxidant defense cells and the immune system. Due to the fact that in the cohort of the population of Almaty and the Almaty region (going forward we will say Almaty to include the region also), respiratory diseases with an allergic component, such as bronchial asthma, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, are common, we consider it is appropriate to conduct an epidemiological study of candidate genes for allergic diseases – cytokines and their receptors (IL4, IL4RA , IL12B, IL13, TNFA, CCL5), adrenoreceptor (ADRB2), transcription factors involved in T-lymphocyte differentiation (STAT6, GATA3, TBX21), major histocompatibility complex (HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1). The aim of our study is to conduct genome-wide genotyping in people with allergic diseases and to search for marker genes that affect the risk of developing allergies as well as to identify genes that are involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. We performed genome-wide microarray genotyping of 25355 SNPs on the iScan platform of 103 samples with allergic diseases and 108 control DNA samples using the kit (Infinium® ImmunoArray-24 v2.0 BeadChip Kit). The results obtained, using the GWAS analysis, which takes into account numerous polymorphisms, showed the involvement of some genes in the development of allergic diseases (rs20541-asthma, allergic rhinitis, rs841718-atopic dermatitis, rs3212227-immunodeficiency).