Cytogenetic and Molecular Damages in Blood Lymphocyte of Inhabitants Living in High Level Natural Radiation Area (HLNRA) of Botteng Village, Mamuju, West Sulawesi, Indonesia

An evaluation on the cytogenetic and DNA damages caused by natural radiation was done in
eighty eight person living in Botteng village as HLNRA and their matched control in Keang
village as normal level natural radiation areas (NLNRA). Their bloods were collected with
their full informed consent and culture set up for cytogenetic evaluation as well as nucleic acid
damage observation with comet assay and γ -H2AX that were done according to the standard
procedures. Lymphocytes were scored manually under microscopic observation for the presence
of chromosome aberrations. Radiosensitivity of cells evaluation was also done by challenging these
bloods to 1.5 Gy of gamma rays before being cultured. The evaluation showed that frequency
of chromosome aberration in HLNRA group was lower (0.00081) compared to control group
(0.00125). However, frequency of micronucleus (MN) in HLNRA group was higher (0.0204) than
that in control area (0.0172). Nucleoplasmic bridge and nuclear budding are found in extremely
low frequency. DNA damage observation with comet assay showed a difference between study
and control group, however γ-H2AX analysis showed no any effects observed in lymphocytes for
both groups. Our data did not reveal any significant difference (p>0.05) in HLNRA as compared
to NLNRA in all parameters (cytogenetics biomarkers) studied which is supported by the nucleic
acid damage evaluation. There was a less radiosensitivity observed in lymphocytes of HLNRA
group in comparison with controls