STRUCTURE OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE FREQUENCY OF MICRONUCLEI IN PERIPHERAL BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES AND AGE, GENDER, SMOKING HABITS AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN SOUTH-EAST REGION OF SERBIA

Frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes is a measure of genotoxicity and spontaneous chromosomal instability with many modifying factors. The aim of this work was to examine the relation between results of micronucleus test and set of socio-demographic parameters in healthy population in south-east Serbia using structure equation approach. Cytokinesis–block (CB) technique was used for analysis of MN frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes on 133 healthy volunteers of various ages. Socio-demographic data was collected through a questionnaire. The mean frequency of MN gradually rose with age from 0.56±0.71 in new-borns to 5.48 ±3.65 in the 61-80 years age group (AG), with a decrease in the 81-92 years AG. MN frequency was positively correlated with age, altitude of birth place, altitude of place of residence, nuclear buds and nucleoplasmatic bridges, and negatively with education level and smoking habits. Linear structural model revealed age to be related to all of the examined variables, and indicates probable existence of another factor, independent of age, influencing all of these except nuclear buds. It can be concluded that the frequency of micronuclei is influenced by age and factor/s resembling socioeconomic status or lifestyle and this influence is independent of age.