METHODS: Buccal smears of 35 individuals with addictive disorders (20) or substance use disorders (15) for more than 3 years were collected by the gentle brushing of the inside of the cheeks. Immunocytochemical staining of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, NFKβ, bcl-2, and ucp4 was performed on the epithelial cells, for the study of oxidative stress, toxicity, and inflammation. Papanicolaou staining was also performed for the potential structural disorders. There was a correlation with the clinical profile of each individual. None of the individuals was HIV or Tbc positive.
RESULTS: Cytomorphology and immunoprofile of the smears of chronic relapsers and substance users for more than 3 years revealed karyolitic cells undergoing necrosis and increased expression of the markers IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NFKβ. Decreased expression of bcl2 was correlated with increased expression of ucp4.
CONCLUSIONS: The literature in the area of addiction is growing rapidly; however, the results are still mixed. Given the complexity of the problem, the goal should be the discovery of a minimal invasive and inexpensive diagnostic procedure to identify a prognostic and therapeutic target. The correlation of the expression of biomarkers on buccal cells could be valuable for the design of predictive and therapeutic strategies.