Anabolic androgenic steroids induce micronuclei in buccal mucosa cells of bodybuilders.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate genotoxicity of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) in male bodybuilders by a micronucleus assay in buccal mucosa cells.


METHODS
11 male bodybuilders volunteered to participate in this study and two groups were formed: group 1 (n = 6), without AAS consumption and group 2 (n = 5), with AAS consumption. A sample of buccal epithelium was taken from each participant once a week for 6 weeks. Samples were fixed, stained and analysed by a light microscope, and 2000 cells were counted from each slide. Results are expressed as micronucleated cells (MNC) per 1000 cells and were analysed by the Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon's test.


RESULTS
A marked increased in MNC was seen in bodybuilders with AAS consumption compared with those without AAS consumption (mean (SD) 4.1 (2.4) MNC/1000 cells vs 0.4 (0.4) MNC/1000 cells, respectively; p<0.004). Intragroup comparisons showed no differences in the MNC frequencies during the sampling time in group 1, whereas the MNC frequency in group 2 varied significantly, reaching the highest MNC frequencies in the third and fourth week of sampling (5.9 (2.4) MNC/1000 cells; 5.8 (1.8) MNC/1000 cells, respectively); frequency in the first sampled week was 1.1 (0.1) MNC/1000 cells. Significant differences in all sampled weeks were found between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
AAS consumption increased the frequency of MNC from buccal mucosa in bodybuilders.
Torres-Bugarín
O
O
Departamento de Investigación, Programa Internacional de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. luly73@hotmail.com
Covarrubias-Bugarín
R
R
Zamora-Perez
A L
AL
Torres-Mendoza
B M G
BM
García-Ulloa
M
M
Martínez-Sandoval
F G
FG
D000328:Adult; D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D014891:Weight Lifting
D045930:Anabolic Agents