SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE (SOD2) GENE VAL16ALA POLYMORPHISM AND CHANGES IN THE VENTILATION LUNG CAPACITY OF CHILDREN - RESIDENTS OF RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED TERRITORIES AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS DURING WARTIME.

Objective: to determine the distribution of genotypes of genetic polymorphism of manganese superoxide dismutaseand to assess the ventilation lung capacity in children- residents of radioactively contaminated areas and childrenexposed to stressful life events during the war period.

Materials and methods: The study involved school-age children - residents of radioactively contaminated areas(RCA) and children exposed to stressful life events during wartime. All those examined had no clinical signs of respiratory pathology. Genotypes for the SOD2 Val16Ala genetic variant were determined using the polymerase chainreaction (PCR) method. The study of the ventilation lung capacity was assessed by the method of computer spirometry based on the flow-volume loop analysis data.

Results and conclusions: When studying the genotypes and alleles of the polymorphic marker SuperoxideDismutase 2 Gene Val16Alain children of group I and II, no significant differences were found between the frequencydistribution indicators of genotypes and alleles compared with the reference values of the those of the controlgroup, which consisted of practically healthy residents of the Middle East. Also, no significant differences in the frequency distribution of the C and T alleles of the polymorphic marker Superoxide Dismutase 2 Gene Val16Ala werefound in the children of both examined groups compared to other representatives of the Caucasian race (Lithuanians, Finns, Germans). Among children in groups I and II, there was a tendency toward a decrease in the frequency of occurrence of homozygotes with the CC genotype and an increase in the frequency of occurrence of heterozygotes with the CT genotype. Among children of both examined groups, in heterozygotes with the CT genotype of theSuperoxide Dismutase 2 Gene Val16Ala polymorphism, a tendency towards an increase in the frequency of bronchialhyperreactivity was observed compared to CC homozygotes. Analysis of the variant allele frequency distribution ofSOD2 Val16Ala polymorphism in children of both examined groups determined that in the presence of bronchial hyperreactivity there was a tendency toward an increase in the prevalence of the T allele and a decrease in the prevalence of the C allele.