Comparative Study of Micronuclei Count in Patients with Different Tobacco-related Habits using Exfoliated Buccal Epithelial Cells: A Tool for Assessment of Genotoxicity

• Published in: The journal of contemporary dental practice Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 1076 - 1081
• Main Authors: Dash, Kailash C, Nishat, Roquaiya, Kumar, Harish, Mishra, Silpiranjan, Raghuvanshi, Malvika, Bajoria, Atul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India 01-09-2018
• Subjects: Giemsa stain; Micronuclei Tobacco; Genotoxicity
• ISSN: 1526-3711; 1526-3711
• DOI: 10.5005/JP-JOURNALS-10024-2384

To study and compare the genotoxic effects of tobacco using micronuclei count in individuals with different tobacco-related habits.
A cross-sectional study was done comprising 200 individuals, divided into four groups. Group I: 50 subjects with history of tobacco chewing, group II: 50 subjects with a history of smoking tobacco, group III: 50 subjects with a history of both tobacco chewing and smoking, and group IV: 50 subjects without any habits as controls (age-matched). The study groups were individually further divided into three subgroups which comprised of subjects with history of substance abuse for less than 5, 5 to 10, and greater than 10 years. Exfoliated cells from the buccal mucosa of the subjects were collected and stained using Giemsa stain. A total of 1,000 cells were examined for each case and micronuclei frequency was scored according to the guidelines given by Tolbert et al. Results: The mean number of micronuclei count was 18.28 ± 10.0 in group I (smokeless tobacco users), 11.38 ± 6.3 in group II (subjects with history of tobacco smoking), 22.44 ± 9.8 in group III (subjects with history of using both smokeless and smokable form of tobacco), and 4.86 ± 2.4 in the control group. The statistical difference was found to be highly significant (p < 0.001). Similarly, based on the duration, highly significant difference was notable in the mean number of micronuclei in subjects who had a history of substance abuse for more than 10 years.
A significantly higher micronucleus frequency was found in smokeless tobacco users than in smokers and controls. Micronuclei assay in the exfoliated buccal cells is a useful and minimally invasive method for monitoring early genotoxic damage.
Micronuclei assay can be used to detect genotoxic damage at the earliest and, if intervened at this point, may prevent frank malignancy, morbidity, and mortality.