title: DNA damage and cellular abnormalities in tuberculosis, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB), Lung Cancer (LC) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) affect millions of individuals worldwide. Monitoring of DNA damage in pathological situations has been investigated because it can add a new dimension to clinical expression and may represent a potential target for therapeutic intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate DNA damage and the frequency of cellular abnormalities in TB, LC and COPD patients by comparing them to healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The detection of DNA damage by a buccal micronucleus cytome assay was investigated in patients with COPD (n = 28), LC (n = 18) and TB (n = 22) and compared to control individuals (n = 17).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The COPD group had a higher frequency of apoptotic cells compared to TB and LC group. The TB group showed a higher frequency of DNA damage, defect in cytokinesis, apoptotic and necrotic cells. Patients with LC had low frequency of chromosomal aberrations than TB and COPD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COPD patients showed cellular abnormalities that corresponded to cell death by apoptosis and necrosis, while patients with TB presented defects in cytokinesis and dysfunctions in DNA repair that resulted in the formation of micronucleus (MN) besides apoptotic and necrotic cells. Patients with COPD, TB and LC had a low frequency of permanent DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Physical Education, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Avenida Independência, 2293, Bairro Universitário, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS CEP 96815-900 Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa Lúcia Gonçalves
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: Maribel Josimara
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bresciani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaís Evelyn
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Karnopp
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: Augusto Ferreira
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil ; Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: Joel Henrique
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ellwanger
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: João Antonio Pêgas
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil ; Graduate Program in Health Promotion, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia Rosane de Moura
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Valim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil ; Graduate Program in Health Promotion, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS Brazil.
authors.forename: Lia Gonçalves
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Possuelo
keywords: Apoptosis; Micronucleus; Necrosis; Pulmonary diseases