Micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations in healthy tobacco chewers and controls: A study from Gujarat, India

Abstract

Background: Tobacco chewing is attributed to oral cancer. Prediction of cancer development by genotoxicity analysis is a major challenge to identify tobacco users at greater risk. Therefore, present study aimed to analyze tobacco related genotoxic effects in chewers monitoring micronuclei (MN) and chromosome aberrations (CA). The biomarkers were compared with non chewer to (i) predict risk for genotoxicity, (ii) estimate synergistic effect of tobacco exposure with level of biomarkers, and (iii) identify best cellular site of measurements for genotoxicity assessment. Methods: Healthy tobacco chewers (n=47); and controls (n=48) were enrolled in the study. The peripheral blood lymphocyte and exfoliated buccal mucosa cells were studied for CA and micro nucleated cell count (MNC) respectively. An arbitrary unit was obtained for Lifetime Tobacco Exposure (LTE) using frequency/day multiplied by duration of years of tobacco use. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Results: MNC was significantly higher (p=0.001) in chewers than controls. CA was higher in chewers than controls. MNC can differentiate higher tobacco exposure in chewers than CA. Controls having MNC above cutoff level have greater risk of genotoxic exposition (95% C.I.; 1.462-23.26, p=0.012). Conclusion: The present study concludes that MNC is a better surrogate biomarker to predict genotoxicity than CA for tobacco exposure and DNA damage index in tobacco chewers

Assessment of cytogenic damage in the form of micronuclei in oral epithelial cells in patients using smokeless and smoked form of tobacco and non-tobacco users and its relevance for oral cancer

“…Hence, MN assay can be used as a biomarker of genotoxicity. This study was also in accordance with the previous studies conducted by Patel et al [19] and Palaskar and Jindal, [20] who observed that the score of the MN frequency decreased as we moved from the SLT chewers to the smokers and then to the non-users and the non-smokers. A study carried out by Sardas et al [21] states that the oral use of SLT represents a genotoxic hazard, which is even higher than the DNA damage observed in cigarette smokers.…”

Micronuclei as prognostic marker: A clinicopathologic study

“…As the groups were for their mean difference, it was statistically significant (P < 0.05). This finding was with accordance with the study done by Palaskar and Jindal, [12] Patel et al, [13] and Bansal et al [1] …”

Evaluation of micronuclei in tobacco users: A study in Punjabi population

“…The result showed that the overall level of mean number of micronuclei in smokeless tobacco were higher (24.13 ± 10.68) as compared with smokers (11.96 ± 4.23) and controls (4.17 ± 2.99). This observation was similar to those reported by Palaskar et al .,[3] Ozkul et al ,[9] and Patel et al ,[10] when all the groups were further compared with each other for the mean difference, the result was highly statistically significant ( P < 0.05), which was in accordance with the previous studies by Palaskar et al . [3] and Patel et al .,[10] whereas Ozkul et al found no difference between the mean percentage of MN cells for the groups considered ( P > 0.05).…”