ABR Vol 5 [4] December 2014 125 | P age ©2014 Society of Education, India Advances in Bioresearch Adv. Biores., Vol 5 (4) December 2014:125-130 ©2014 Society of Education, India Print ISSN 0976-4585; Online ISSN 2277-1573 Journal’s URL:http://www.soeagra.com/abr.html CODEN: ABRDC3 ICV 7.20 [Poland] ORIGINAL ARTICLE Assessment of Micronuclei Frequency in Sickled Tribal Population (Halba and Gond) of District Durg, Chhattisgarh, India Nikhil Mishra, Anil Kumar* Department of Biotechnology, Government V.Y.T.PG. Autonomous College, Durg, Chhattisgarh, India *E-mail: aimum_aishley@yahoo.co.in. ABSTRACT Sickle cell disease is known to induce oxidative stress which is associated with increased production of oxidizing species leading to a variety of cytogenetic abnormalities. Micronuclei formation under the influence of oxidative stress under the influence of variety of toxicants is a well known fact. In the present study micronuclei frequency among sickled tribal (Halba & Gond) population (HbAS and HbSS) among different age groups (10-20, 20-30 and 30-40 years) has been estimated and compared with the control set of population from same age groups. The frequency of micronuclei was found significantly higher in both HbAS and HbSS population of all the corresponding age groups at P >0.05. Finding of the present work emphasize on genotoxicity among sickled population confirmed by micronuclei formation under influence of oxidative stress. Keywords – Sickle Cell Anemia, Tribes, Oxidative Stress, Micronuclei Received 09/10/2014 Accepted 29/11/2014 ©2014 Society of Education, India How to cite this article: Nikhil M, Anil K. Assessment of Micronuclei Frequency in Sickled Tribal Population (Halba and Gond) of District Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.Adv. Biores., Vol 5 [4] December 2014: 125-130. DOI: 10.15515/abr.0976-4585.5.4.125130 INTRODUCTION Sickle cell disorder is the most common heritable hemoglobin associated disease and in India, it is more prominent in the central and southern parts [1]. Several authors have emphasized about oxidative stress among sickle populations [2,3,4,5]. On another hand it has been also proved that genotoxicity and cytotoxicity are common phenomena under oxidative stress [6,7,8,9,10]. One parameter used in bio-indication is the generation of genetic material fragments in the form of Micronuclei, due to the activity of oxidative stress which provoke chromosome breaks. These fragments appear in the cytoplasm when either parts of the chromosomes or chromatids or entire chromosomes are not incorporated in the nuclei of the daughter cells in mitosis, frequently because these fragments do not have centromeres. These fragments left behind are incorporated in the secondary nuclei, called Micronuclei. Micronuclei have between 1/5 and 1/20 of the original nucleus’ size and there is generally more than one per cell. Micronuclei test in red blood cells and lymphocytes can be used as an indicator of toxic effects in determined target populations, since DNA repair system is very sensitive to oxidative stress. These micronuclei are the extra-nuclear DNA-containing entities that can be evaluated microscopically [11]. These entities are formed as a result of clastogenicity (chromosome breakage) and/ or chromosome loss [12]. Micronuclei reflect persisting chromosomal aberrations that may arise due to defects in chromosomal segregation or may be due to miss repair of DNA breaks. Increased levels of micronuclei in lymphocytes are generally associated with risk of cancers [13]. Micronuclei formation in the peripheral blood lymphocytes is a very well established method to study the chromosome damage in human population [14]. The method of micronuclei assay was first proposed by Countryman and Heddle [15] and was subsequently modified with the development of cytokinesis-block micronuclei method [16] and is now extensively used to analyze chromosome damage in human population. Micronuclei have been studied in mammalian cells for more than 20 years [17]. A substantial number of reports are available regarding Advances in Bioresearch