Assessment of Micronuclei in the exfoliated Buccal Mucosal Cells based on the Personnel behavior among the Transgender Population of Tamil Nadu
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction
Research on tobacco usage and its complication among transgender populations is limited. Micronuclei have been used for genotoxicity measurement and biomonitoring of different carcinogens. It acts as a chromosomal damage biomarker. Hence, this study was done to measure and compare the number of micronuclei present in the exfoliated buccal cells of the transgender population who are habituated to tobacco/pan users, alcoholic, both alcoholic and tobacco users and those with none of those habits
Methods
An analytical comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 transgender individuals selected by random sampling in Chennai and were divided into four groups with 30 participants in each group. The first group had a habit of chewing tobacco or pan, second only alcohol consumption, third with both tobacco and alcohol and fourth group who were non-habituated with either of those. After obtaining basic information of the individual, buccal mucosa smear was taken and stained with PAP and Giemsa method. All the data were entered in Microsoft excel and analysis was done using SPSS ver-24.
Results
A total of 120 individuals enrolled in this study. The mean age of the population was 29±4.60 years. While comparing the mean micronuclei count, it was significantly less (mean 5.37 with SD 1.12) among those have the habit of only chewing tobacco or pan. But, among alcoholic and alcohol with tobacco cases had more in number (mean 9.27 with SD 4.12 and 7.10 with SD 4.32). There was a statistically significant difference observed between groups.
Conclusion
Early detection of MN in a cell represents an “internal dosimeter” to estimate exposure to genotoxic and carcinogenic agents.
Transgender with the habit of chewing tobacco with alcohol are having a greater number of micronuclei than the either tobacco or alcohol users, also having higher risk of developing cancer.