Tobacco use increase the number of aneuploid nuclei in the clinically healthy oral epithelium.
BACKGROUND
The most important risk factor linked to the development of oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is tobacco use. Tobacco contains carcinogens that influence the DNA repair, cell cycle control and may produce chromosomal aberrations. The loss or acquisition of one or more chromosomes is defined as aneuploidy.


METHODS
Aneuploidy was determined by means of the DNA-content included in cells obtained by exfoliative cytology and Feulgen's staining. The cells were collected from the clinically healthy lateral margin of the tongue of non-smokers without oral lesions, smokers without oral lesions, smokers with OL, and smokers with OSCC, using the CytoBrush(®). Each group was composed of 20 individuals. A Carl Zeiss image analyzer system and the KS300 software were used. Statistical analysis was performed with BioEstat(®) software.


RESULTS
The mean percentage of aneuploid nuclei was statistically higher in the smokers (79.65%), smokers with OL (68.4%), and smokers with OSCC (93.65%), as compared to non-smokers (39.3%) (P<0.05). A trend toward an increase in the aneuploidy of the smokers with OSCC group (P=0.02), as compared to the non-smoker group, could be observed. No significant difference could be observed as regards the mean percentage of aneuploid nuclei in relation to duration of tobacco use or the number of the cigarettes smoked.


CONCLUSIONS
Tobacco use is responsible for an increased number of aneuploid nuclei in the oral epithelium.
Souto
Giovanna Ribeiro
GR
Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Caliari
Marcelo Vidigal
MV
Lins
Carolina Emmanuelle Camargos
CE
de Aguiar
Maria Cássia Ferreira
MC
de Abreu
Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães
MH
Mesquita
Ricardo Alves
RA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004171:Diploidy; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
D004396:Coloring Agents; C007722:Feulgen stain; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D004247:DNA