Increased frequency of micronuclei in the lymphocytes of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus

In this study, we analysed the frequency of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (NBUDs) and evaluated mutagen-induced sensitivity in the lymphocytes of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). In total, 49 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (28 HBV-infected and 21 HCV-infected patients) and 33 healthy, non-infected blood donor controls were investigated. The frequencies (‰) of MN, NPBs and NBUDs in the controls were 4.41 ± 2.15, 1.15 ± 0.97 and 2.98 ± 1.31, respectively. The frequencies of MN and NPBs were significantly increased (p < 0.0001) in the patient group (7.01 ± 3.23 and 2.76 ± 2.08, respectively) compared with the control group. When considered separately, the HBV-infected patients (7.18 ± 3.57) and HCV-infected patients (3.27 ± 2.40) each had greater numbers of MN than did the controls (p < 0.0001). The HCV-infected patients displayed high numbers of NPBs (2.09 ± 1.33) and NBUDs (4.38 ± 3.28), but only the HBV-infected patients exhibited a significant difference (NPBs = 3.27 ± 2.40, p < 0.0001 and NBUDs = 4.71 ± 2.79, p = 0.03) in comparison with the controls. Similar results were obtained for males, but not for females, when all patients or the HBV-infected group was compared with the controls. The lymphocytes of the infected patients did not exhibit sensitivity to mutagen in comparison with the lymphocytes of the controls (p = 0.06). These results showed that the lymphocytes of patients who were chronically infected with HBV or HCV presented greater chromosomal instability.

Karyoanomalic frequency during radiation therapy.

AIM: To identify the relationship between the radiosensitivity of oral cancers and to evaluate the dose-dependent relationship of nuclear abnormalities by serial cytology during fractionated radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 patients with histologically proven cases of squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study. Serial scrape smear were taken from the tumor before and during radiotherapy (0 to 24 Gy), and stained with Giemsa and May Grunwald's stain and frequency of micronucleated, binucleated and multinucleated cells were evaluated with the help of light microscope. The counts were expressed per 1000 uninucleated cells. RESULTS: Each parameter showed a statistical increase with increase dose. Before treatment, the mean values of micronucleated cells, binucleated cells and multinucleated cells were 3.5, 10.1 and 4.2. At 4 Gy these were 7.7, 12.0 and 6.2 which further increased with radiation dose; and the mean values were 8.8, 16.2 and 14.9 at 14 Gy and 12.8, 18.5 and 15.1 at 24 Gy. After analysis of p-value, all such abnormal cells showed significant difference (p < 0.0001) with respect to normal subjects. CONCLUSION: Our study results that micronucleus assay is a very useful tool in the assessment of biological damage that can help to identify tumor radiosensitivity.