Quantitative analysis of AgNOR proteins in exfoliative cytology specimens of oral mucosa from smokers and nonsmokers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the cell proliferation rate and possible effects of cigarette smoking on the oral mucosa lining through analysis of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in exfoliative cytology specimens.


METHODS
Exfoliative cytology was performed on the left side of the border of the tongue and of the floor of the mouth in 25 smoking patients and 25 nonsmoking patients. The inclusion criterion for smokers was the consumption of more than 20 cigarettes per day for a minimum of 30 years.


RESULTS
The slides were stained by histochemical AgNOR method. In the nonsmoking group the mean number of AgNORs per nucleus was 2.732 +/- 0.236 in the tongue border and 2.918 +/- 0.195 in the floor of the mouth. In smoking patients the mean number of AgNORs per nucleus was 3.372 +/- 0.375 in the tongue border and 3.245 +/- 0.237 in the floor of the mouth.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest higher cell proliferation quantified by the histochemical AgNOR technique in exfoliative cytology specimens obtained from the oral mucosa lining of smokers presenting no clinical alterations.
Campos Fontes
Patrícia
P
Postgraduation Program in Oral Biopathology, São José dos Campos Dental School, UNESP-São Paulo State University, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Marques Corrêa
Gustavo Henrique
GH
Scholz Issa
Jaqueline
J
Almeida
Janete Dias
JD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology*; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016622:Silver Staining / Q000379:methods*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; C051963:nucleolar organizer region associated proteins