Abstract

Environmental toxicants has significant effect on proliferative activity in the buccal mucosa which lead to accumulation of mutation in genes during stages of cell division; oral epithelial cells become susceptible to damage. The nuclear organizer regions (NORs) are DNA regions that transcribe for the RNA. Associated with those regions are non-histonic proteins (NORAPs) which collaborate in the synthesis, transportation and final maturation of the RNA. There is interaction between AgNOR stain and the sites of DNA to rRNA transcription. Nuclear organizer region contains rRNA which connected with AgNOR are called AgNOR protein. Our hypothesis is that the variation in AgNOR would be practical histochemical biomarkers to evaluate changes underlying exposure to heavy smoking in oral mucosa in smokers who are at risk of COPD and COPD patients. This variation is associated with respiratory symptoms and lung function changes in these smokers. These biomarkers are of biological interest and clinically relevant and can be used for early identification, diagnosis and prevention of COPD. Our hypothesis is that the variation in AgNOR would be practical histochemical biomarkers to evaluate changes underlying exposure to heavy smoking in oral mucosa in smokers who are at risk of COPD and COPD patients. Results are shown in the table. Our data shows heavy smokers and COPD patients show high level of cellular proliferative activities in oral mucosal epithelia which reflects the level of hyperplasia exists in COPD patients.