RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Circulating nucleosomal DNA of blood as an indicator of the pathological process during chronical bronchitis JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP p4030 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Irina Vasilyeva A1 Tatiana Ivtchik YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4030.abstract AB The expression of the protein Ras is the basis of the activation of cell cycle by the connection of the signal path of the EGRF with the cascade of MAP. This method of regulation is used in the cells of respiratory epithelium as a response to the impact of air pollutants and caused in the inhibition of apoptosis in pathogenesis of COPD. Low-molecular-weight, nucleosomal DNA fraction (lmwDNA) of the blood plasma is an universal quantitative indicator of apoptosis, which allows to distinguish fundamentally different condition of the organism. The states accompanied by strengthening of apoptosis are marked by increase in lmwDNAs content. The level of lmwDNA can be lower than background level during states, connected with the apoptosis inhibition. The COPD is noticed for the first time by the decline of the level of lmwDNA in the blood plasma unlike in the case of the CnonOB. COPD patients in the remission state the lmwDNA level consisted 7.8 ng/ml plasma (n=31) and was lower (P<0.2) than in CnonOB patients - 22.5 ng/ml (n=20). Assumption about the inheritability of this index was made. The mean values of lmwDNA in the group of healthy first-degree relatives of COPD patients compound 22.9 ng/ml (n=19) and it is 1.24 time lower than in group of relatives of CnonOB patients - 28.0 ng/ml (n=22). Our results suggest with the dates of the detection of K-ras mutation in plasma DNA. It is used as a method of determination of malignant disease and risk factor for them. The results indicate that it is possible to use the proposed indicator for integrated differential diagnosis in practical medicine. Further research in this field is promising.