BACKGROUND: Cytogenotoxic damage caused by the consumption of legal and illegal drugs in drug abusers has been demonstrated, primarily due to alterations in their antioxidant capacity, cellular repair mechanisms, and increased production of free radicals. Folic acid shows antioxidant activity by acting as a reducing agent, neutralizing present free radicals, and reducing genomic damage.
METHODS: The intervention involved administering 15 mg of folic acid, divided into three doses per day, to a group of 44 drug abusers. The frequency of nuclear abnormalities (NAs) was determined; micronuclei (MNs), nuclear buds (NBUDs), binucleated cells (BNs), abnormally condensed chromatin (CC), karyorrhexis (KX), pyknotic nuclei (PNs), and karyolysis (KL) were determined at different pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment time points at 15 and 30 days. Additionally, a group of 44 healthy individuals was used as the control group.
RESULTS: We observed a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of NAs in the drug abuser group (28.45 ± 17.74 before supplementation vs. 11.18 ± 7.42 at 15 days and 9.11 ± 10.9 at 30 days of supplementation). Specifically, it decreased the frequency of NBUDs, BNs, CC, KX, and PNs (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates a clear improvement in cytogenotoxic damage in drug abusers supplemented with folic acid.

Drug abuse is considered a global health problem with serious social impact. In recent decades, changes in drug consumption patterns have shown a clear rising trend in the use of multiple drugs. Although the buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay has evaluated cytotoxicity in drug abuse, there has not been an approach that takes into account this pattern of multiple drug use. Therefore, in this study, we evaluate for the first time the cytogenotoxic effects in multidrug users, and its correlation with the amount consumed and years of abuse. This study was conducted on 166 individuals by the BMCyt assay. A total of 83 individuals with a history of multiple licit (alcohol and tobacco) and at least one illicit drug abuse (marijuana, methamphetamines, cocaine, and/or inhalants), and 83 healthy individuals, non-drug abusers were analyzed. The results showed that drug abusers had higher frequencies of nuclear abnormalities nuclear buds, binucleated cells, pyknotic nuclei (PNs), karyorrhexis (KX), and abnormally condensed chromatin when compared with healthy controls. Moreover, results suggests that the use of licit and illicit drugs is related to cytogenotoxic damage, as was shown by an upward trend in the frequency of nuclear abnormalities identified in groups 1 (alcohol + tobacco + at least one illicit drug) and 2 (tobacco + at least one illicit drug). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found in the different groups, between the years and the amount of consumption of some drugs (alcohol, methamphetamine, and tobacco) with cytotoxicity markers such as KL, KX, and PNs.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate cytogenetic damage in the buccal mucosa of non-exposed subjects (N = 33) and insecticide-exposed fumigators (N = 31) in the urban area of Cali, Colombia.
METHODS: Through a questionnaire sociodemographic data, anthropometric measurements, state of health, and lifestyle were collected. Buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay was using for evaluate cytogenetic damage.
RESULTS: The study showed that all fumigators used adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and had low alcohol consumption. The authors did not find significant differences in BMCyt biomarkers between the groups (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed a 13% increase in micronucleus (MN) frequency for every year of increasing age (OR = 1.13, p = 0.029), and higher MN with the decrease in daily fruit consumption (OR = 4.71, p = 0.084), without statistical significance.
CONCLUSIONS: The results between groups could be related to healthy habits and PPE use among the subjects. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(1):128-37.

The present study was aimed at investigating DNA damage, micronuclei frequency and meta-nuclear alterations in buccal cells of workers involved in pigment-grade TiO2 production (15 exposed and 20 not-exposed). We also assessed associations of genotoxicity biomarkers with oxidative stress/inflammatory biomarkers in urine and exhaled breath condensate (EBC), as well as possible associations between biomarkers and reported respiratory symptoms. In spite of compliance with TiO2 Occupational Exposure Limits, results showed increased direct/oxidative DNA damage and micronuclei frequency in exposed workers. Genotoxicity parameters were associated with oxidative stress/inflammation biomarkers in urine and EBC, thus confirming that TiO2 exposure can affect the oxidative balance. Workers with higher genotoxic/oxidative stress biomarkers levels reported early respiratory symptoms suggesting that molecular alterations can be predictive of early health dysfunctions. These findings suggest the need to assess early health impairment in health surveillance programs and to address properly safety issues in workplaces where TiO2 is handled.

Mexico is a country where agricultural activity is of great importance, but biomonitoring data are still scarce. With more intensive pesticides use per unit area/surface in horticultural productivity, there is a higher impact on environmental contamination and workers\' health. Considering that exposure to various pesticide and pesticide mixtures represents an additional genotoxic risk, the appropriate characterization of exposure, confounding factors and the risk itself are very much needed. We compared genetic damage in 42 horticulturists and 46 unexposed controls (Nativitas, Tlaxcala) using alkaline comet (whole blood) and micronucleus (MN) test with nuclear abnormalities (NA) (buccal epithelial cells). Workers demonstrated significantly higher levels of damage (TI%=14.02 ± 2.49 vs. 5.37 ± 0.46; MN=10.14 ± 5.15 vs. 2.40 ± 0.20), with more than 90% of them not using protective clothing nor gloves during application. Combined DNA damage techniques and periodic monitoring together with educational programs for safe pesticide application is the best strategy to assess and prevent workers\' health risks.

During nanomaterial (NM) production, workers could be exposed, particularly by inhalation, to NMs and other chemicals used in the synthesis process, so it is important to have suitable biomarkers to monitor potential toxic effects. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction of exposure mitigation measures on workers unintentionally exposed to graphene co-pollutants during production process monitoring the presumable reduction of workplace NM contamination and of early genotoxic and oxidative effects previously found on these workers. We used Buccal Micronucleus Cytome (BMCyt) assay and Fpg-comet test, resulted the most sensitive biomarkers on our first biomonitoring work, to measure the genotoxic effects. We also detected urinary oxidized nucleic acid bases 8-oxoGua, 8-oxoGuo and 8-oxodGuo to evaluate oxidative damage. The genotoxic and oxidative effects were assessed on the same graphene workers (N = 6) previously studied, comparing the results with those found in the first biomonitoring and with the control group (N = 11). This was achieved 6 months after the installation of a special filter hood (where to perform the phases at higher risk of NM emission) and the improvement of environmental and personal protective equipment. Particle number concentration decreased after the mitigation measures. We observed reduction of Micronucleus (MN) frequency and oxidative DNA damage and increase of 8-oxodGuo excretion compared to the first biomonitoring. These results, although limited by the small subject number, showed the efficacy of adopted exposure mitigation measures and the suitability of used sensitive and noninvasive biomarkers to bio-monitor over time workers involved in graphene production process.

Air pollution, recognized as a human carcinogen, is a significant cause of death in industrial and developing countries, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is one of the leading countries for air pollution-caused death rate and has the poorest urban air quality in Europe. Despite a population decrease, urban air pollution in B&H has increased due to traffic pollution and still intensive use of solid fuel for heating and cooking. Human biomonitoring studies, regarding the described air pollution, have not been conducted before, and particularly have not been conducted in the region of Sarajevo. Good health, well-being, and environmental protection are part of the 17 defined Sustainable Development Global Goals. Accordingly, this study aimed to determine baseline levels of DNA damage in a group of Sarajevo citizens and to compare seasonal variations in DNA damage in relation to the reported levels of air pollution. From 33 individuals included in the study, samples were collected in the summer and winter seasons. The buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay and comet assay in leucocytes isolated from saliva were performed. Mean values and standard deviations of log-transformed tail intensity (%), tail length (µm), and tail moment results in winter were 1.14 ± 0.23, 2.20 ± 0.14, and 1.03 ± 0.29, respectively, while in the summer season those values were 1.19 ± 0.19, 2.25 ± 0.17, and 1.07 ± 0.25, respectively. No significant differences were found for the comet assay parameters. Nevertheless, BMCyt results showed significant increases in micronuclei (P = .008), binuclear cells (P = .04), karyolysis (P = .0003), condensed chromatin (P = .03), and pyknosis (P = .002) in winter. Although the results of comet and BMCyt assays are not in accordance, this study contributes to the human air pollution biomonitoring in Sarajevo, B&H, and based on the genotoxic effects of air pollution evidenced by the BMCyt biomarker further studies of this kind are necessary.

Coal miners are continuously exposed to coal mine dust and airborne particulate that act as a potential risk to their health. The present study evaluates the DNA damage in coal miners using the Buccal Micronucleus Cytome (BMCyt) assay. The samples of the blood and buccal epithelial cells of 40 coal miners and 20 control subjects were taken from coal mines of Pail and Padhrar, Pakistan, to establish buccal anomaly frequencies of metal levels in the blood. Besides this, work history and duration hours were also analyzed. Results revealed that micronucleus frequencies positively correlated with the metal concentrations in the miner\'s blood. The change in the extent of nuclear damage per unit change in the year was 0.170 for micronuclei; however, with addition in each year of working experience, nuclear buds and broken egged nuclei increased by 0.316 and 0.194 units, where each year increases karyolysis by 0.349 units and karyorrhexis by 0.308 units, respectively. An increase in work hours and working years was positively correlated with cytogenetic damage. Nuclear damage in coal miners due to occupational exposure is obvious and increases with increasing work experience. Hence, the Buccal Micronucleus Cytome assay has proved to be an effective cytogenetic biomonitoring tool for assessing genetic and nuclear damage in coal miners.

UNASSIGNED: Radiography is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools used in comprehensive dental care. Radiation from dental radiographs was thought to cause cytogenetic changes and its plausible effects can remain for some hours, months, or generations especially in children.
UNASSIGNED: To evaluate and compare the possible genotoxic effect of routinely used intraoral periapical radiographic exposure and radiovisiographic exposure in exfoliated epithelial cells as measured by the formation of micronuclei during single visit pulpectomy procedure using Buccal Micronucleus Cytome (BMCyt) assay in children.
UNASSIGNED: Study comprised 60 healthy children who has undergone either intraoral periapical radiography (IOPAR; group 1, n = 30) or radiovisiography (RVG; group 2, n = 30) during various steps of single visit pulpectomy procedure. Cytological smears were taken from the buccal mucosa immediately before the X-ray exposure and 10 ± 2 days after exposure. The cells were stained with Feulgen and evaluated for micronuclei by scoring 1,000 cells per sample.
UNASSIGNED: The genotoxic effect of radiation exposure from intraoral periapical radiography higher than that of RVG showing significant increase in micronucleus (MN) formation.
UNASSIGNED: The X-ray radiation emitted during IOPAR or RVG does induce genotoxic changes in the form of increased frequency of micronuclei. So, great care and standard protocol should be followed to advice radiographs if necessary and reduce the cumulated biological effects of radiation exposure.
UNASSIGNED: Taking into account the strong evidence of a relationship between DNA damage and carcinogenesis and the extensive application of intraoral radiographs in pediatric dentistry, it would be useful to know to what extent these dental X-rays cause genotoxic effects resulting in DNA damage on oral mucosa.
UNASSIGNED: Julu Y, Nagarathna C. Biomonitoring of Genotoxic Effect in Children Exposed to Dental Radiographs during Pulpectomy Procedure-BMCyt Assay. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(S-1):S63-S70.

The study aimed to evaluate the micronucleus (MN) frequency in exfoliated buccal cells (EBCs) of 256 6-8-years-old schoolchildren living in a rural area of Salento peninsula (Southern Italy) with low anthropogenic pressure and with a normal rate of chronic diseases in order to determine the basal level of MN and identify which factors are able to influence it. Information about the personal data, lifestyles and dietary habits of the children were obtained by the administration of a questionnaire to their parents. The buccal micronucleus cytome assay was performed to evaluate the presence of early genotoxic effects among the children. In addition, the level of environmental exposure was assessed by sampling atmospheric particulate fractions near the schools attended by participants. The association between MN frequency and individual or environmental factors was also assessed. The children had a mean MN frequency of 0.27 ± 0.43‰ (95%CI = 0.22-0.33). This frequency was positively associated with vehicular traffic (OR = 2.99; 95%CI = 1.15-7.74) and negatively associated with a high educational level of the mother (OR = 0.41; 95%CI = 0.18-0.95) and physical exercise (OR = 0.56; 95%CI = 0.32-0.57). Data on genotoxic effects in buccal cells found in this study could be considered as the MN level in a pediatric population not exposed to environmental pollution.