Cytogenetic Alterations In Cells from Allergic and Non-Allergic Asthmatic Patients

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> The aim of this study was to estimate the cytogenetic alterations in the cells of allergic and non-allergic asthmatic patients. <b>Methods:</b> The frequencies of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations (CA) and&nbsp;in peripheral blood lymphocytes were scored for 70 asthmatic patients and the micronuclei (MN) levels in buccal epithelial cells for 56&nbsp;ones. The control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects. <b>Results</b> The significant (p&lt;0.05) elevation of SCE and CA frequencies as well as MN levels was revealed in the patients examined as compared with healthy controls. In patients with uncontrolled asthma SCE rates in allergic asthmatics appeared to be significantly (p&lt;0.005) higher than those in non-allergic ones, however CA and MN levels did not differ in patients with different phenotypes. At the same time among the patients with well-controlled asthma both CA and MN levels were found to be significantly higher in non-allergic asthmatics than those in allergic ones (p&lt;0.05), but no significant differences in SCE frequencies were recorded in patients with allergic and non-allergic phenotypes. <b>Conclusions:</b> The data obtained suggest that Asthma is a condition with increased chromosome instability characterized by a high levels of CA, SCE and MN frequencies. The cytogenetic alterations in asthmatic patients may be associated with asthma phenotype. Further studies are needed to elucidate possible pathogenetic role and the significance as phenotypic markers of the cytogenetic alterations in cells of asthmatic patients.