AgNOR quantification in cells of normal oral mucosa exposed to smoking and alcohol. A cytopathologic study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate cell proliferative activity by counting and measuring argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) per nucleus in cell smears from mucosa clinically exposed to smoking and alcohol.


METHODS
Group 1 (control) consisted 17 patients, group 2 (smoking) of 25 and group 3 (smoking and alcohol) of 18. Cell smears collected from the mucosa of the lower lip, border of the tongue and floor of the mouth underwent AgNOR staining. Mean number and mean area of AgNORs per nucleus were calculated for the first 50 cells in each smear. ANOVA and the Tukey test were used for statistical analyses at a 5% significance level.


RESULTS
Statistical analyses revealed a greater mean number and larger mean area of AgNORs per nucleus in groups 2 (smoking) and 3 (smoking and alcohol). Samples from the border of the tongue had the lowest mean values for number and area of AgNORs per nucleus in comparison with samples from the lower lip and floor of the mouth in the 3 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Anatomic sites exposed to smoking or to smoking and alcohol had increased cellular proliferative activity.
Paiva
Ricardo Losekann
RL
Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Sant'Ana Filho
Manoel
M
Bohrer
Paula Luce
PL
Lauxen
Isabel da Silva
Ida S
Rados
Pantelis Varvaki
PV
D000328:Adult; D000438:Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014059:Tongue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D000438:Alcohols