title: Smoking-induced satellite associations in a rural population of south India: An in vitro study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genotoxic carcinogens in cigarette smoke interact with DNA, causing cytotoxicity. Cytogenetic damage therefore seems to be an excellent biomarker for determining the effect of exposure to chromosome-damaging agents in cigarette smoke.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the utility of measurement of frequency of satellite associations (SA) as a biomarker for chromosomal damage using cytogenetic assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted on 30 smokers and 30 nonsmokers drawn from a rural population of South India. Smokers were divided into three groups of ten each based on their smoking index (SI) (group I: SI < 150, group II: SI 150-300, and group III: SI > 300) and the frequency of SAs was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of SAs was significantly greater in smokers than in nonsmokers and the frequency of SAs among the smokers was also seen to increase with increase in SI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that the genotoxic effect of cigarette smoke on chromosomes increases with smoking intensity. These findings can be used to support smoking cessation interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pillayarkuppam, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uma
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pajanivel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.lastname: Lokeshmaran
keywords: Chromosome damage; genotoxicity; satellite associations; smoking index