Cytogenetic alterations in buccal mucosa cells of chewers of areca nut and tobacco.
OBJECTIVE
the rationale of the study was to evaluate the cytological alterations especially micronucleus (MN) and other nuclear anomalies in buccal mucosa cells of chewers to understand the genotoxic and clastogenic potential of chewing mixture (containing areca nut and tobacco as main ingredients).


METHODS
the buccal cytome assay involves the examination of epithelial smear to determine micronucleated cell and other nuclear anomalies after the Feulgen plus light green staining. The assay was applied to exfoliated buccal mucosa cells of 262 subjects [non-chewers - 161 and chewers - 101 (includes 20 subjects with OSMF)] and 1000 cells per individual were examined microscopically. Nuclear anomalies were compared among chewers, non-chewers and OSMF subjects and correlated with consumption of quids per day and duration of chewing in years.


RESULTS
MN cells were found significantly (p<0.0001) higher among chewers and OSMF subjects as compared to non-chewers. Further analysis indicated that MN was significantly higher in OSMF subjects with respect to even chewers. Nuclear buds were significantly higher (p<0.0001) in OSMF subjects as compared to chewers as well as non-chewers. Nuclear anomalies viz. binucleated, karyorrhexis and karyolysis were also considerably higher in OSMF subjects as compared to non-chewers.


CONCLUSIONS
the MN and other nuclear anomalies reflected genetic damage and cytotoxicity, associated with tobacco and areca nut consumption. Further, these data reveal a risk for development of OSMF among chewers of mixture containing areca nut and/or tobacco, as all the OSMF subjects were chewers.
Joshi
M S
MS
Division of Reproductive and Cytotoxicology, National Institute of Occupational Health (ICMR), Ahmedabad 380 016, India. mayur_joshi2002@yahoo.co.in
Verma
Y
Y
Gautam
A K
AK
Parmar
G
G
Lakkad
B C
BC
Kumar
Sunil
S
D000328:Adult; D001114:Areca / Q000009:adverse effects; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004396:Coloring Agents; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000145:classification*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009153:Mutagens / Q000009:adverse effects; D009914:Oral Submucous Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D013997:Time Factors; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects
D004396:Coloring Agents; C007722:Feulgen stain; D009153:Mutagens; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes