[An association between human morphological phenotypical characteristics and the activity of chromosomal nucleolar organizer regions in the interphase cell nucleus in the population of indigenous people of Kursk region].

During the survey of 215 indigenous inhabitants of Kursk region, the activity of chromosomal nucleolar organizing regions (NOR) was examined in peripheral blood lymphocytes by a visual semiquantitative method based on silver salt impregnation (Howell W. M., 1975), and the general anthropometric indexes were determined. Significant differences in anthropometric indexes were identified among the groups with high, medium and low values of 10Ag NOR. It was established that with the increase of 10Ag NOR value in men, body mass and body mass index, waist girth and hip girth, waist-to-hip ratio and width of shoulders increased, while in women there was an increase in body mass, height, body mass index, hip girth and length of the legs.

Evaluation of the relationship between chromosome aberrations and transcription activity of nucleolus organizer regions in indigenous population of the Kursk region.

The relationship between activity of chromosomal nucleolus-organizer regions and levels of chromosome aberrations was studied in 215 residents of the Kursk region by visual semiquantitative method (silver staining of the nucleolus-organizer regions, NOR) in chromosomes of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The levels of chromosome aberrations differed significantly in three groups differing by the levels of 10AgNOR, which can be explained by different proliferative activity in these groups. The lowest level of chromosome aberrations was found in subjects with high transcription activity of NOR, presumably due to high proliferative activity in this group and more intensive synthesis of proteins, including the reparation enzymes. The highest level of chromosome aberrations was detected in the group with the medium level of 10AgNOR.

Transcriptional activity of chromosome nucleolar organizing regions in population of Kursk region.

We studied population polymorphism of active nucleolar organizing regions in residents of the Kursk region and the association of activity of chromosomal nucleolar organizing regions with intensity of the synthesis of erythrocyte membrane protein. We revealed a tendency towards increasing of the amount of the major erythrocyte membrane proteins (primarily, spectrins and band 5 protein) with increasing total transcriptional activity of nucleolar organizing regions of chromosomes. The intensity of protein synthesis affects cell proliferation, determines the rate of tissue growth and its function, which determines its participation in the development of various diseases.

Relationship between the chromosome nucleoli-forming regions and somatometric parameters in humans.

Relationship between activity of nucleolar organizer regions in chromosomes and somatometric parameters was studied in residents of the Kursk region. Significant differences in the somatometric parameters were revealed between the three groups differing by the number of nucleolar organizer regions, which can be explained by different proliferative activities in these groups. A greater number of nucleolar organizer regions was associated with a trend to greater body weight and body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, waist to hip circumference ratio, and shoulder width in men and increased body height, greater body weight and body mass index, hip circumference, and leg length in women.

Evaluation of the dependence of mutagenesis intensity on activity of nucleolus organizer regions of chromosomes in Aboriginal population of Kursk region.

Visual semiquantitative method of silver staining of nucleolus organizer regions in peripheral blood leukocytes was applied for evaluation of the correlation between activity of nucleolus organizer regions and the level of chromosome aberrations in 241 residents of Kursk region. Significant differences in the percent of chromosome aberrations were revealed between three groups differing by the number of active nucleolus organizer regions, which can be explained by different proliferative activity in these groups. The lowest level of chromosome aberrations was found in individuals with high transcription activity of the nucleolus organizer regions (due to high proliferative activity in this group and due to more intensive protein biosynthesis, e.g., synthesis of reparation enzymes). The maximum level of chromosome aberrations was observed in the group with medium number of active nucleolus organizer regions (adaptive norm).