Why White Blood Cells were used to study genetic past and future of Indians

India Today

24-04-2025

The Genome India Project - one of India's most ambitious scientific undertaking recently unveiled findings from genetic makeup of over 10,000 Indians.The project highlights personalised information about the DNA of Indians, what makes them unique from other populations and how information about our genetic makeup can transform the field of preventive medicine.Published in Nature Genetics, the study has analysed whole genomes – a process of complete analysis of genomes of an organism - of a huge population of the country.advertisement
But what sets it apart is its unique study approach apart from 135 million genetic variations.
Variants found in Indian genomes are not found anywhere around the world. (Photo: AFP)
While other countries have used saliva, umbilical cord, or skin cells to extract DNA, Indian scientists have used White Blood Cells (WBCs) for the same purpose.WBCs are cells produced in the bone marrow and circulated in the bloodstream. Also known as leukocytes, they help protect the body from infections and diseases.WHAT IS GENETIC INDIA PROJECT?Genome India Project is a scientific study performed by collecting genomes of 10,000 healthy individuals across communities.advertisementIt's a collaborative project of 20 institutions, which began in 2020 with the funding of the Department of Biotechnology, to create a comprehensive reference for Indian genomic diversity, establish a robust biobank for future research, enable open access to genomic data, develop affordable genetic tools for diagnostics, pave the way for precision medicine in India, and inspire the next generation of genomic innovators.Around 160 samples from non-tribal groups and 75 samples from tribal groups were collected from 83 population groups. The samples were collected from unrelated individuals to ensure accurate analysis of mutation.
Genome India Project is a scientific study performed by collecting genomes of 10,000 healthy individuals. (Photo: Getty)
While explaining how mutations can help in analysing diseases over time, Dr. Kumaraswamy Thangaraj, Principal Investigator of Genome India Project told IndiaToday.in, 'Certain mutations are disease-causing; some are distributed over the world, and some are Indian specific. We are looking at those kinds of mutations that will emerge only when we complete our analysis.'WHY HAVE THEY BEEN CHOSEN?The research conducted is unique because of the method of extracting genomes from the WBCs. They are chosen because of their stability, which helps in the accurate extraction of DNA.advertisementWhen asked about the role WBCs play in genome extraction, 'Any cell is sufficient,' said Dr K Thangaraj. He further added, 'Our idea is to do some biochemical analysis, like creating cell lines, storing blood as such, or isolating cell lines if you store serum separately. All this cannot be done with saliva, as we may not get enough strength for further use.''WBCs are the least contaminated ones, and they consequently offer one of the best sequencing options to derive good quality data at different levels,' said Dr Ravi Gupta, Vice President, Bioinformatics at MedGenome.MEDICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDYThe Department of Biotechnology has said that the variants found in Indian genomes are not found anywhere around the world.The report also mentions the custom of marrying within the local communities, clan, or tribe, known as endogamy, as the reason for increased mutation rates within the population.'Certain mutations are associated with disease,' said Dr Thangaraj. 'If we put all these mutations into an array, the diagnosis of any disease can be developed more cheaply.'
It's a collaborative project of 20 institutions. (Photo: Getty)
advertisementTreatment for the diseases will depend on the response from the individual. This will be checked after analysing the reaction of individuals to the treatment.'Certain individuals may respond positively to the treatment. For them, the new treatment may work. But in some, it may produce adverse effects, leading to the development of new drug–personalized medicines,' said Dr Thangaraj.The choice of using WBCs has led to an understanding of gene-disease relationships in the genetically diverse population of the country. However, scientists say a clear understanding of these genetic variations is important for developing targeted treatments and preventive strategies for the Indian population.'The Indian population is endogamous. We find population-specific mutations. Some are very rare, some are disease-causing,' said Dr Thangaraj. 'We are analysing 10,000 genomes in detail, and we will find the actual impact on this and write a bigger paper after 2-3 months.'Must Watch