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ABSTRACT
Purposes: The chemical content of liquid and vapors of electronic-cigarette/vape (a smoking simulation device) contain contaminants on a low scale, but the level is far below tobacco. The purpose of the current study was to asses the vape genotoxic potency by examining the micronucleus frequency count in buccal mucous smear preparations.
Methods: Fifty-five participant were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Of the 55 participants, 15 participant were those of vape smokers, 20 participant were tobacco smokers, and 20 participants were those who does not smoke at the time of study. Prior to sample collection, participants were asked to rince twice by using a with 0.9% NaCl (isotonic) solution. Samples were taken from the anterior and middle portion of the oral mucosa, from both sides of the cheek's mucosal surface. Samples were stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining, and observed with a 400X magnification light microscope. Micronucleus was identified by using two investigative teams with experience in the exfoliated cells micronucleus assay. Data analysis was performed by using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in SPSS.
Results: Result of the study showed that vape users exhibited lower amount of micronucleous and total micronucleus compared to smokers (positive controls) and even the frequency is below the non-vape-smokers (negative controls), indicating the safety of vape that likely too poses low carcinogenic stimuli on epithelial carcinogenic progression in the oral cavity. Further study is therefore, is of importance.
Keywords: electronic cigarettes, vape, buccal mucous smear, micronucleus
Clinical significance: The current study was one of the few studies that evaluated the genotoxic potential of electronic cigarette and used the micronucleus expression as a biomarker.
Introduction
Electronic-cigarette (vape) is a smoking simulation device through the nicotine vapor inhalation, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings. Although found in the chemical content of liquid and vape vapors there are contaminants on a low scale, but the level is far below tobacco [1]. From this perspective vape seems to be a safer alternative (less harm products) for smokers who are unable to stop nicotine addiction, and can be a "framework" for reducing the harm of tobacco cigarettes while not eliminating smoking. Similar media have proven successful in the past, such as the use of disposable needles in drug users and the promotion of safe sex through...