Variability of C-structural heterochromatin in cells derived from the patients with cardiomiopathy and from their relatives

Variability of C-structural heterochromatin segments in chromosome 1,9 and 16 has been studied in lymphocyte cultures of peripheral blood taken from the patients with the hypertrophy (HC) and dilatate (DC) forms of cardiomiopathy and their 1st degree relatives (32 individuals, in total). 10 healthy individuals composed the control group. C-segments were sorted according to Patil and Lubs: a0.5-1 x 16p; c>1.5 x 16p; d>1.5-2 x 16p; e>2 x 16p. The total amount of C-heterochromatin in all the studied chromosomes was tended to increase for DC patients and the relatives of the patients with the two forms of cardiomiopathy. Individual specificity within the group was found when the c-variants were assessed in chromosomes. In particular, the results obtained in cells of HC patients and their relatives did not differ from the control values, while the distribution pattern of C-segments within the group of DC patients and their relatives underwent changing. The elevated induces of pericentromeric inversion were found in all the patients with both forms of the disease and their relatives indicating C-structural heterochromatin polymorphism in the tested individuals.