Micronucleus Assessment in Human Buccal Cell DNA As a Contrivance for Bio-Surveilling DNA Impairment

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R. Sumathi, S. Punitha, T. Sivakumar

Abstract

Introduction:  Oral cancer is one of the most common causes of transience in India. A lack of definitive and adequate biological markers for early oral cancer detection, combined with a scarcity of definitive and suitable biological markers, has resulted in delayed stage diagnosis of oral carcinoma. A buccal cell could be a biomarker for cancer. For monitoring genetic deterioration in people, micronucleus evaluation in exfoliated buccal cells is a useful and least intrusive procedure.


Aim and objective: To assess the DNA impairment in tobacco related human buccal cells using micronucleus assessment.


Study design: The study included 49 participants who were divided into three groups based on their tobacco use. Group I consisted of 15 people who had never have tobacco usage, Group II included 19 people who had the habit of tobacco usage, and Group III of 15 people who had oral carcinoma associated with tobacco habits. Buccal cells from these people were utilized to look for tobacco-related DNA damage using a PCR approach that measured tail length.


 


Results: Between all groups, the P value for micro nucleated cells of buccal mucosa was 0.001, which was statistically significant. The midpoint tail length was found to be 1.46 µm in the normal mucosa, 2.86 µm in tobacco users, and 3.86 µm in tobacco users' oral cancer. Age, gender, length, and different types of tobacco use all had an impact on the oral mucosa.


Conclusion: The micronucleus assay can help detect subclinical genetic changes in the oral mucosa before they appear clinically as precancerous lesions owing to tobacco use. In the near future, micronucleus study may emerge as a novel adjuvant tool for the prevention of oral malignancy.

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