title: A novel application of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay in oral lichen planus: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most important complication of oral lichen planus is malignancy transformation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess cellular and nuclear morphology in a group of patients with oral lichen planus measured by means of buccal micronucleus cytome assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included thirty patients with a clinicopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus (all with atrophic-erosive clinical forms of OLP) and thirty healthy control subjects. Both samples were similar in age and gender. The buccal micronucleus cytome assay protocol consisted of: cell collection from both cheeks with a cytobrush; cell centrifuge; slide preparation, fixation and staining followed by fluorescent microscope analysis. 2 × 10(6) exfoliated cells were screened for nuclear abnormalities: micronuclei, nuclear buds, binucleation, basal and differentiated cells, condensed chromatin, karyorrhectic cells, pyknosis and karyolytic cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with oral lichen planus showed significantly higher frequencies of micronuclei (p<0.001), nuclear buds (p<0.001), binucleated cells (p<0.021) than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method is an easy way for clinicians to assess DNA damage, proliferative potential of basal cells and cell death in buccal cells in cases of oral lichen planus.
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Department, Morales Meseguer Hospital, University of Murcia, Spain. marianosasi@um.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Siles
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ros-Llor
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camacho-Alonso
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lopez-Jornet
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016923:Cell Death; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053144:Cell Nucleus Shape; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000295:instrumentation; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000145:classification; D015162:Micronucleus Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007211:Indoles; C007293:DAPI