Microarray-Based Genomic Profiling in Low-Dose Radiation Research: Evidence, Limitations, and Translational Perspectives Sandugash Auganbayeva, Meruyert Massabayeva, Nailya Chaizhunussova, Dariya Shabdarbayeva, Lyudmila Pivina, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026 Low-dose ionizing radiation exposure remains a major challenge for long-term health risk assessment, particularly in retrospective cohorts with heterogeneous exposure scenarios and limited biological material. Although next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies dominate contemporary molecular research, DNA microarrays remain relevant in radiation biology due to their standardization, reproducibility, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with archived biospecimens. This narrative review examines the contribution of microarray-based transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling to the study of low-dose radiation effects (≤100 mSv, millisievert), with emphasis on human observational studies, radiation epidemiology, and biodosimetric applications. The literature was identified through targeted searches in PubMed and Web of Science (2000–2025). Evidence from experimental models and exposed populations is synthesized to identify recurrent molecular pathways, major sources of variability, and challenges affecting reproducibility and cross-cohort comparability. Based on this evidence, a conceptual framework is proposed to define conditions under which microarray-based analyses remain interpretable and translationally informative. Machine learning approaches are discussed in a supportive role, with emphasis on interpretability and biological plausibility. Overall, DNA microarrays are positioned as a mature, niche technology that complements next-generation sequencing platforms and remains particularly suited for retrospective cohort studies and long-term molecular monitoring in radiation research.
Long-Term Exposure to Ionizing Radiation from the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and Risk of Cardiovascular Mortality Altay Dyussupov, Dariya Shabdarbayeva, Nailya Chaizhunussova, Andrey Orekhov, Galiya Alibayeva, et al. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2025 Background: Environmental problems can significantly influence population health. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of death in developed countries including in Kazakhstan. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between exposure to ionizing radiation and mortality risks from major CVDs for the population of Kazakhstan living in areas adjacent to the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (SNTS). Materials and Methods: The study of the structure and dynamics of cardiovascular mortality was based on the State Scientific Automated Medical Registry (SSAMR) database. Among members of the exposed group, the median equivalent radiation dose was 864.0 mSv, compared to 64.4 mSv in the control group. It should be noted that almost the entire population of the Semipalatinsk region was exposed to some degree of radiation; however, the Kokpekti district received the lowest radiation doses. Results: Mortality rates from CVD were statistically significantly higher in the radiation-exposed population from 1960 to 1994, with RR fluctuating from 1.118 to 8.7. The predominant mortality events were chronic coronary heart disease, chronic cerebrovascular disease, and hemorrhagic stroke throughout the study period, and acute myocardial infarction within 20 years of the start of nuclear testing. In the exposed group, RR = 10.35 for chronic cerebrovascular disease, RR = 3.56 for hemorrhagic stroke, and RR = 5.77 for peripheral arterial atherosclerosis. A dose of 100–500 mSv increased the risk of mortality from CVD by 3.14 times, and a dose of >600 mSv increased it by 7.05 times. Conclusions: A link has been established between long-term exposure to ionizing radiation and increased risks of mortality from CVD in the population of areas contaminated with radiation as a result of nuclear testing.
Biomarkers of immunothrombosis and polymorphisms of IL2, IL6, and IL10 genes as predictors of the severity of COVID-19 in a Kazakh population Assiya Yessenbayeva, Bakytbek Apsalikov, Meruyert Massabayeva, Maksut Kazymov, Aizhan Shakhanova, et al. Plos One, 2023 ObjectivesTo study the role of biological markers of immunothrombosis and polymorphisms of cytokine genesIL2,IL6,IL10and their influence on the severity of COVID-19 in a Kazakh population.MethodsA total of 301 patients of Kazakh nationality with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 participated in the retrospective study, including 142 patients with severe and 159 with a mild course. Single nucleotide polymorphismsIL2Rrs1801274,IL6rs2069840, andIL10rs1800872 were genotyped by real-time PCR. Activated partial thromboplastin time, normalized ratio, prothrombin index, prothrombin time, fibrinogen prothrombin time, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and C-reactive protein analysis were also conducted.ResultsThe average age of patients with severe COVID-19 is higher than of patients with mild COVID-19 (p= 0.03). The findings showed that fibrinogen, D-dimer, and C-reactive protein were significantly greater in the group of patients with severe COVID-19 (p= 0.0001). A very strong correlation between the severity of COVID-19 with the D-dimer and C-reactive protein (p= 0.9) (p= 0.02) was found.ConclusionThe results of our study confirm that D-dimer, fibrinogen, and CRP are biomarkers of inflammation and hypercoagulation that serve as predictors of immunothrombosis affecting the severity of COVID-19. D-dimer is also associated withIL10rs1800872 gene polymorphism in the Kazakh population with severe COVID-19.
Genetic regulation of testosterone level in overweight males from the Kazakh population and its association with hypogonadism Merkhat Akkaliyev, Nurlan Aukenov, Meruyert Massabayeva, Bakytbek Apsalikov, Saule Rakhyzhanova, et al. Journal of Medicine and Life, 2023 Male hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction in different populations are associated with excess body weight. A key aspect in most studies is the metabolism of sexual hormones, primarily testosterone. At the same time, the binding protein sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) can play a large role, as it determines the ratio of total and bioavailable testosterone in blood, i.e. both the hormone content and level of its production. Recent research has identified common mutations that affect SHBG levels, such as the rs727428 polymorphic locus, which is associated with alterations in histone protein function, affecting the regulation of ribonucleic acid (RNA) protein SHBG synthesis. Similar relationships have been observed for prevalent mutations, including rs5934505 and rs10822184, in diverse populations. This study involved 300 individuals of Kazakh nationality from the Eastern Kazakhstan region, examining three polymorphic variants of the SHBG gene (rs727428, rs5934505, and rs10822184). The participants were categorized into three groups: individuals with hypogonadism and obesity (group 1, n=85), those with excess body weight but no hypogonadism (group 2, n=70), and individuals with neither excess body weight nor hypogonadism (group 3, n=145). The frequency of mutant gene alleles impacting GPS (SHBG) synthesis in the Kazakh population was notably high, comparable to European and South-East Asian populations. However, the association between excess body weight and these mutations exhibited varying patterns. Hypogonadism was linked to decreased GPS levels, strongly correlating with total testosterone but not bioavailable testosterone. The retention of sexual functions in overweight men was not always directly related to BMI levels and GPS concentrations.
Association of lipid parameters with insulin resistance in the Kazakh population Aizhan SHAKHANOVA, Nurlan AUKENOV, Alma NURTAZINA, Alida KASSKABAYEVA, Meruyert MASSABAYEVA, et al. Bratislava Medical Journal, 2023 BACKGROUND Insulin resistance (IR) is a consequence of chronic adipose tissue inflammation and underlies the pathogenesis of several diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. In this study, we examined the association between dyslipidaemia and IR; directly comparing conventional lipid ratios and apoB/apoA1 ratios for strength and independence as risk factors for IR in a Kazakh population. METHODS The design of this study was a case-control study. There were 507 participants in the study. We examined each participant's plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein B, and apolipoprotein A1. IR was determined using an IR homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). To assess the risk of an atherogenic blood lipid profile, atherogenicity coefficients were calculated: Bad cholesterol to good cholesterol ratio ((TC-HDL)/HDL); TG to HDL ratio (TRG/HDL); apoB to apoA1 ratio (apoB/apoA1). RESULTS In this study, high waist circumference and BMI were more common in men. The group with IR had significantly higher waist circumference (cm) (p = 0.0001) and BMI (kg/m2) (p = 0.04) than the group without IR. The risk of IR was significantly associated with the apoB/apoA1 ratio (p = 0.03). Analysis of the association between HOMA-IR and apoB/apoA1 ratio increased the risk of IR at apoB/apoA1 ratios of 0.71 to 0.85 and above 0.86 by a factor of 1.93 and 1.84, respectively. HOMA-IR levels were weakly significantly correlated with TG levels (rS = 0.3; p = 0.0001) and very weakly positively correlated with apoB levels (rS = 0.1; p = 0.002) and apoB/apoA1 (rS = 0.1; p = 0.001), there was a weak negative correlation with apoA1 levels (rS = -0.1; p = 0.02). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of developing IR was significantly lower in men than in women, adjusted OR (95% CI) = 0.75 (0.49-1.0) p = 0.02. CONCLUSION In our study, IR was more common in Kazakh women than in Kazakh men. IR was also associated with apoB and TG levels. Thus, we suggest that analysis of TG, apoB and apoB/apoA1 ratio may be recommended as early predictors of IR risk in the Kazakh population (Tab. 3, Ref. 22). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, apolipoproteins, triglycerides, lipids.
Associations between serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, corticotropin releasing hormone and mental distress in vitiligo patients Assiya Kussainova, Laura Kassym, Almira Akhmetova, Eugenia Dvoryankova, Natalya Glushkova, et al. Scientific Reports, 2022 Vitiligo is clinically characterized by the appearance of non-symptomatic depigmented macules, but the disorder is highly correlated with a wide range of psychiatric disorders and psychological problems. The aim of our study was to investigate serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) levels in vitiligo patients and healthy controls in relation to the observed symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders. This study comprised 96 vitiligo patients and 96 healthy controls who filled out the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scales. Serum levels of BDNF and CRH were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. There was a significant increase of depression and anxiety scores in vitiligo patients as compared with healthy controls (P < 0.05). The serum levels of BDNF were significantly lower in vitiligo patients than in healthy individuals (Z = 4.002; P < 0.001), while the serum levels of CRH were markedly higher in cases than those in controls (Z = 3.764; P < 0.001). The significant positive correlations between serum CRH levels and GAD-7, PHQ-9 scores were observed. However, the aforementioned psychometric scales did not correlate significantly with serum BDNF level. Vitiligo is associated with the depression and is closely linked with lower BDNF levels.
The role of SHBG and LPL gene polymorphism in the development of age-related hypogonadism in overweight men: Literature review Merkhat Akkaliyev, Nurlan Aukenov, Meruyert Massabayeva, Bakytbek Apsalikov, Saule Rakhyzhanova, et al. Journal of Clinical Medicine of Kazakhstan, 2021 Testosterone is the main male hormone responsible for the formation and maintenance of male sex characteristics and the sexual performance of men. With age testosterone levels decrease which is a natural physiological process. But the timing of age-related hypogonadism progress has individual differences. Physiological processes occurring in the body of an aging man are due to genetic, population and individual features of genes and their mutations leading to genetic polymorphism. Gene polymorphism is represented mainly by single nucleotide substitutions that are SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism). Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) genes are important links in the synthesis and transport of testosterone in male body as well as in the development of androgen deficiency. This review discusses the role of polymorphic variants of SHBG and LPL genes in the early development of age-related hypogonadism in overweight men.
LPL AND ADRB2 GENE POLYMORPHISMS: RELATIONSHIP WITH LIPIDS AND OBESITY IN KAZAKH ADOLESCENTS Georgian Medical News, 2020
