Association Between Lifestyle and Genotoxicity in Undergraduate Subjects in Benin City, Nigeria

Background of Study: Genotoxicity describes the characteristic of chemical substances known as
genotoxins that harm the genetic material inside a cell, resulting in mutations that may predispose to
cancer.

Methods: This research utilized a cross sectional study design aimed at determining possible association between lifestyle factors and genotoxicity of undergraduate subjects in Benin City. One hundred and ninety five (195) subjects, involving one hundred and fifty (150) undergraduates as study subjects and forty-five (45) intending students as control participated. Questionnaires were used for data collection while a wooden spatula was used to obtain buccal epithelial cells for micronuclei investigation. The presence of micronuclei (MN) was assessed under light microscopy and a total of 200 cells per sample were scored.

Results: The results showed that there was no significant statistical difference (p>0.05) between the mean micronuclei (Mni) cells counts of the non-cigarette smokers and former smokers; However, the average Mni count for Shisha smokers was statistically significantly lower than non-shisha smokers. The average Mni count between alcohol consumers and non-consumers was not statistically significant. The mean micronuclei (Mni) count per 200 cells was (5.56±1.30) in undergraduate compared to intending students (3.72±1.39), the mean Mni in age group ? 20yrs was 4.32±1.39 while the average Mni for ? 20yrs of age was (2.82±1.29) with each of these groups being statistically significant (p-values =0.02).

Conclusion: There is a clear correlation between lifestyle factors and genotoxicity in undergraduate
subjects in this study as observed from the increase in buccal cell micronucleus.

研究背景：遗传毒性（genotoxicity）指遗传毒物（genotoxins）这类化学物质损伤细胞内遗传物质，进而引发可诱发癌症的突变的特性。
研究方法：本研究采用横断面研究（cross sectional study）设计，旨在探讨贝宁城在校本科生的生活方式因素与遗传毒性之间的潜在关联。本次研究共纳入195名受试者，其中150名在校本科生作为研究对象，45名意向入学学生作为对照。研究采用问卷法收集数据，并使用木质刮匙采集颊黏膜上皮细胞以开展微核（micronuclei, MN）检测。通过光学显微镜评估微核的存在情况，每份样本共计计数200个细胞。
研究结果：结果显示，非吸烟者与既往吸烟者的平均微核（Mni）细胞计数无显著统计学差异（p>0.05）；然而，水烟吸烟者的平均Mni计数显著低于非水烟吸烟者，差异具有统计学意义。饮酒者与非饮酒者的平均Mni计数无统计学差异。在校本科生每200个细胞的平均Mni计数为(5.56±1.30)，显著高于意向入学学生的(3.72±1.39)；年龄≥20岁组的平均Mni计数为4.32±1.39，而年龄<20岁组的平均Mni计数为(2.82±1.29)，两组差异均具有统计学意义（p值=0.02）。
研究结论：本研究观察到颊细胞微核数量升高，表明在校本科生的生活方式因素与遗传毒性之间存在明确关联。