Changes in Exfoliative Cell of Oral Mucosa in Kidney Transplant Patients

Cytomorphometric Evaluation of Oral Mucosa of Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare genetic disorder in which patients progressive muscle deterioration and low life expectancy. Since DMD has no cure, treatment slows the deterioration process using corticosteroids and other medications, including oral bisphosphonates (BP). These drugs can lead to toxicities in both soft and hard tissues. The objective of this study was to present cytological changes in DMD patients, comparing to young, healthy individuals. Cytological smears were obtained from buccal mucosa from nine DMD patients and five healthy patients. The Papanicolaou technique was used to stain the slides. Images were captured using a photomicroscope, and 50 clearly defined cells were selected. The size and ratio between the nucleus and cytoplasmic areas (NA/CA) diameter were measured using a computer program. All the DMD patients presented a statistical difference (p < 0.0001) in the size of the cytoplasm (0.60 ± 0.33 μm) and the NA/CA ratio (0.17 ± 0.07 μm) was seen when compared to the control group (cytoplasm 0.60 ± 0.15 µm and nucleus 0.14 ± 0.05 µm). Furthermore, in one DMD in use of BP who presented Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ), presented higher differences in the cytoplasmic (1.20 ± 0.65 µm) and nuclear (0.20 ± 0.12 µm) sizes (p < 0.0001) compared with all others DMD patients. These results suggest that the drugs used or the systemic condition of individuals with DMD may contribute to these changes.

Canine mast cell tumors: utility of stereologic tools in cytology

Quantitative morphologic parameters assessed in cytologic samples of canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (ccMCTs) may assist with surgical planning and prognostication. Robust cutoffs can be defined, with high reproducibility, for parameters such as the nuclear area (NA). The NA may be determined by morphometry (image analysis, NAI) or by stereology, such as the 2D-nucleator method (NAN); stereologic techniques have not been applied to cytologic specimens of ccMCT, to our knowledge. We retrospectively selected routine cytology smears from 51 ccMCT cases and screened them to determine the percentage of neoplastic mast cells with indistinct nuclear borders; this was repeated after the slides were restained with H&E. The NAI and the NAN were estimated in 100 mast cells per animal in H&E-stained slides. All nuclei were visible in H&E smears, and unbiased quantification was feasible. The NAN was similar to NAI, but less time-consuming. Both the NAN and NAI determined by cytology differed in histologic low- and high-grade ccMCTs, and in histologic grade I plus II versus grade III ccMCTs. Stereologic parameters such as the NAN could be considered as complementary techniques for the cytologic evaluation of ccMCTs.

Cytological and cytometric analysis of oral mucosa in patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have sought to identify precursor symptoms of AD and PD that occur before the onset of the disease. We evaluated changes in the oral mucosa of patients with AD and PD using a stereological method.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 29 patients with AD, 30 patients with idiopathic PD, and 30 healthy volunteers. Brush biopsies were obtained from all participants, and the nucleator method was used to estimate the volume of cells obtained from the buccal mucosa.

RESULTS

Cytomorphometric analysis revealed that the nuclear volume was 484.39±117.10 µm³ in the AD group, 509.71±132.26 µm³ in PD patients, and 509.30±100.21 µm³ in the control group. The cytoplasmic volume was 115,456.60±30,664.98 µm³ in the AD group, 103,097.93±25,034.65 µm³ in PD patients, and 109,528.45±28,381.43 µm³ in the control group. The nuclear and cytoplasmic volumes were not significantly different among groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The cytomorphometric analysis revealed no significant differences in the cytoplasmic and nuclear volumes of buccal cells obtained from patients with AD and PD and healthy volunteers.

A morphometric study of the protective effect of cryotherapy on oral mucositis in cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil

We investigated cytological changes in oral mucosa smears from patients treated with cryotherapy to determine whether cryotherapy prevented mucositis caused by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy. Patients with gastrointestinal malignancies were divided into four groups; control patients before 5-FU therapy, patients after 5-FU therapy without cryotherapy, patients with cryotherapy before 5-FU therapy and patients with cryotherapy after 5-FU therapy. Oral mucosa samples from all patients were assessed at the beginning and on day 14 of chemotherapy. We used exfoliative cytology to evaluate cellular changes in the oral mucosa that were caused by 5-FU. Smears from each patient were stained using the Papanicolaou method and analyzed using stereology. Smears were taken from each group before and after 5-FU infusion. We found that nuclear volume was decreased significantly in cells of the 5-FU therapy after cryotherapy patients compared to the 5-FU therapy before cryotherapy patients. We also found significantly decreased cytoplasmic volumes in the 5-FU therapy after cryotherapy patients compared to the 5-FU therapy before cryotherapy patients. The results of cytomorphometric estimations revealed that cryotherapy may be used to prevent damage to oral tissue and may decrease the frequency and duration of oral mucositis caused by 5-FU.