Abstract
Background: We have reported the data concerning increased levels of chromosomal alterations in lymphocytes of asthmatic patients. Micronuclei (MN) represent additional nuclei formed by the exclusion of chromosome fragments at mitosis, and may reflect the approximate level of chromosome breakage in cells.
Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the frequencies of MN in buccal epithelial cells of asthmatic patients.
Patients and Methods: We examined 56 asthmatic patients aged 15 – 67 years. To count MN frequency (cells with MN per 100 cells) a total of 3000 buccal mucosal cells were scored per each individual. The control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects.
Results: The significant (p < 0.001) elevation of MN frequencies was revealed in patients as compared with healthy controls ((0.26 ± 0.014% and 0.14± 0.017%, respectively).
In the cells of patients with stable asthma the MN rates in non-allergic asthmatics (0.30 ± 0.029%) appeared to be significantly (p<0.01) higher than those in allergic ones (0.18 ± 0.027%). However among asthmatics with the disease exacerbation we did not observe any significant differences (p > 0.05) of MN frequencies in patients with different phenotypes. The MN rates were found to be significantly (p<0.001) higher in patients with severe asthma than in those with mild and moderate condition (0.29 ± 0.025% and 0.17± 0.018%, respectively) in allergic asthmatic and did not depend on the severity in patients with non-allergic phenotype (0.32 ± 0.030% and 0.28± 0.022%, respectively).
Conclusions: The elevated MN frequencies in cells of asthmatic patients depend on asthma phenotype and severity.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA5212.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2019