Application of Buccal Micronucleus Cytome Assay in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients on Etanercept: A Case–Control Study

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease characterized by its chronicity and symmetrical pattern of involvement. The purpose of the present study was to assess the genotoxic effect of the antitumor necrosis factor-ɑ agent (Etanercept) in the adult rheumatoid arthritis patients by the mean of a buccal micronucleus cytome assay. Buccal smears from a normal mucosa of 30 rheumatoid arthritis patients on Etanercept and 30 healthy subjects were taken to apply the buccal micronucleus cytome assay on them. Significantly higher frequencies of micronuclei, pyknotic cells and nuclear buds were seen in those patients when compared to controls. In respect to these findings, the rheumatoid arthritis patients on Etanercept were showing a higher frequency of the genomic damage and cell death biomarkers than the healthy controls which indicates a higher risk of developing pathosis.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, genotoxic effect, buccal micronucleus cytome assay.