Argyrophilic nucleolar organizing region associated protein synthesis for cytologic discrimination of follicular thyroid lesions

Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the thyroid gland is an important tool for preoperative diagnosis; however, its benefit is limited for follicular lesions. Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) are ribosomal gene regions that stain with silver (Ag) when they are active. These regions can be used to differentiate neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. We used a new AgNOR technique to investigate FNAB of cases diagnosed as follicular adenoma and carcinoma. Fourteen cases of follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and 28 cases of thyroid follicular adenomas (FA) were stained using the silver NOR-associated protein (AgNOR) technique. One hundred nuclei per sample were examined, AgNORs were counted, and the total AgNOR area/nuclear area (TNORa/Na) ratio of each cell was calculated. We found that cases with FTC had significantly higher TNORa/Na than cases of FA. Also, cases with FTC had significantly higher AgNOR counts than cases with FA. AgNOR counting may help discriminate FTC and FA by routine cytopathology before surgery.

Sister-chromatid exchange inducing effect of smokeless tobacco using on T-lymphocyte chromosomes

A kind of a smokeless tobacco (Maras powder) is widely used instead of cigarettes in the South Eastern region of Turkey. In this study we investigated the sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) inducing effect of this powder on the chromosomes of its users compared with smokers and nonsmokers using standard cell culture methods and SCE staining techniques. Average SCE per metaphase and total SCEs increased significantly among both smokeless tobacco users and smokers compared to nonsmokers (p < 0.01). However, the effect is significantly lower in smokeless tobacco users than in smokers (p < 0.05).