Evaluation of tobacco smoking genotoxicity in buccal epithelial cells of young student smokers

Abstract

Smoking increases the risk of mouth, throat, larynx, and esophagus cancer. Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States. Oral mucosa epithelium is considered the first barrier and direct contact with the carcinogens in cigarettes. Therefore, the study designed to evaluate the nuclear abnormalities in the lining of the mouth, which is an early indicator of cancerous developments. Totally, 30 smokers and 30 non-smokers students from Wasit University, Iraq participated in this study, whose ages ranged from 20-25 years. Exfoliated buccal mucosa cells obtained from these students were analyzed applying the micronucleus cytome assay to determine micronucleated cell and other nuclear anomalies. Nuclear anomalies were compared among smokers and non-smokers and correlated with consumption of cigarette per day and duration of smoking in years. The results indicated a clear increase in the number of micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Further analysis indicated that the strongest difference was seen for karyolitic cells with an about 5-folds increase in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Further, it is found associations between the frequencies of micronuclei and karyolysis with the number of cigarette consumed per day and duration of smoking. The micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies reflected genetic damage and cytotoxicity, associated with tobacco and cigarette consumption. Further, these data reveal a risk for cancer development.