E-cig might cause cell damage of oral mucosa.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate cytogenetic and cytotoxic damage through the evaluation of micronuclei (MN) and metanuclear anomalies in the oral mucosa of electronic cigarette (e-cig) users. STUDY DESIGN: The patients were recruited into 4 groups: e-cig users, smokers, former smokers, and nonsmokers (control). The samples were collected by means of exfoliative cytology of the lateral region of the tongue and the floor of the mouth. The smears obtained were fixed and stained by the Feulgen method for investigation of MN and metanuclear anomalies. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed for MN frequency only between the smoker and control groups. As for metanuclear anomalies, significant differences were observed: karyolysis between: smokers and control, e-cig and control, as well as former smokers; karyorrhexis: between smoker and control; binucleation: between e-cig and former smoker, as well as control; broken eggs: between e-cig and all other groups; nuclear bud: between e-cig and former smokers, as well as control. CONCLUSIONS: E-cig and alcohol users presented genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in the oral mucosa cells. The use of e-cigs and alcohol by former smokers can cause more damage to the cells of the oral mucosa compared to those who have not used e-cigs.

Cytological and cytomorphometric evaluation of the oral mucosa in HIV-infected patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate HIV infection-induced alterations in the oral mucosa by comparing inflammation, cell maturation, and cytomorphometric changes in oral mucosal cells between HIV-infected patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and non-HIV-infected patients. METHODS: Thirty HIV-infected patients undergoing HAART and 30 non-HIV-infected patients were studied. Four smears were obtained from the lateral border of the tongue and floor of the mouth with a cytobrush. One sample was stained by the Papanicolaou technique, and three samples were processed for Feulgen staining. Papanicolaou-stained smears were analyzed by light microscopy, and the cytoplasmic (CA) and nuclear (NA) area were measured with the Software AxioVision 4.7. RESULTS: The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed a significant difference in intermediate epithelial cell types between the HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected groups (P=.005). However, this difference was not observed for superficial epithelial cell types with (P=.672) and without a nucleus (P=.069). Comparative analysis revealed no significant difference in CA (P=.604), NA (P=.298) or NA/CA (P=.456) between the HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected groups. Keratohyalin granules were more frequent in the non-HIV-infected group (P=.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed alterations in cell maturation in HIV-infected patients undergoing HAART with undetectable viral load, but no morphometric changes were observed.