Nucleolar Organizer Regions of Oral Epithelial Cells in Crack Cocaine Users |
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| Authors: | Magna Carvalho de M Thiele Joslei Carlos Bohn Cassiano Lima Chaiben Ana Maria Trindade Grégio Maria ?ngela Naval Machado Antonio Adilson Soares de Lima |
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| Institution: | 1.Dept. of Stomatology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná – PUCPR, Curitiba/PR Brazil; ;2.Dept. of Stomatology, Universidade Federal do Paraná – UFPR, Curitiba/PR Brazil |
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| Abstract: | Background: The health risks of crack cocaine smoking on the oral mucosa has not been widely researched and documented. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the proliferative activity of oral epithelial cells exposed to crack cocaine smoke using silver nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) staining. Methods: Oral smears were collected from clinically normal-appearing buccal mucosa by liquid-based exfoliative cytology of 60 individuals (30 crack cocaine users and 30 healthy controls matched for age and gender) and analyzed for cytomorphologic and cytomorphometric techniques. Results: Crack cocaine users consumed about 13.3 heat-stable rocks per day and the time consumption of the drug was of 5.2 (± 3.3) years. Mean values of AgNOR counting for case and control groups were 5.18 ± 1.83 and 3.38 ± 1.02 (P<0.05), respectively. AgNOR area and percentage of AgNOR-occupied nuclear area were increased in comparison with the control (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean values of the nuclear area between the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that crack cocaine smoke increases the rate of cellular proliferation in cells of normal buccal mucosa. Key Words: Crack-Cocaine, Mouth mucosa, Cell proliferation |
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