Review Article

Genotoxic Effect in Autoimmune Diseases Evaluated by the Micronucleus Test Assay: Our Experience and Literature Review

Table 1

Evaluation of micronucleus (MN) frequencies in organ specific and systemic autoimmune diseases.

DiseaseCells analyzedStudy groupsMNYear/reference
BasalPosttreatment

Organ specific autoimmune diseases

Graves’ disease (GD) Ly 2000 cells
11
GD + vit. E, after 131I
4.0 ± 3.2
10.3 ± 1.7 (7 d)c
13.7 ± 2.3 (21 d)
3.9 ± 2.2 (180 d)
2004 [18] 

Ly 2000 cells
15GD + placebo after 131I5.2 ± 1.012.5 ± 1.6 (7 d)
24.7 ± 3.6 (21 d)c
2007 [19]
10
GD + Ginkgo biloba after 131I
8.7 ± 1.8
14.3 ± 2.2 (7 d)
12.4 ± 1.9 (21 d)
Ly NA25
25
GD 7 days after 131I
GD 30 days after 131I
NA
NA
2.4 ± 1.4%
1.9 ± 0.2%a
2011 [20]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) BM 2000 cells
55
23
30
81
T1DM
T2DM
DM + folic acid
Healthy subjects
2.4 ± 1.4b
2.6 ± 1.6
2.5 ± 1.4
1.2 ± 1.2
0.7 ± 0.6c (30 d)
2007 [21]
Ly 2000 cells35
15
T1DM
Healthy subjects
1.8 ± 1.2
1.5 ± 0.6
2009 [22]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) Ly 1000 cells
23
20
MS + radiation
Healthy subjects
45.3 ± 3.3
27 ± 3.5
381 ± 16a
347 ± 13
2006 [23]
Ly 1000 cells18
18
20
RRMS + radiation
SPMS + radiation
Healthy subjects + radiation
14.2 ± 6.1
12.7 ± 4.4
15.2 ± 6.5
86.0 ± 15.9a
86.6 ± 22.8a
96.7 ± 19.4a
2013 [24]

VitiligoLy 1000 cells21
21
Vitiligo without treatment
Healthy subjects
0.9 ± 0.6%a
0.6 ± 0.3%
2008 [25]

PsoriasisLy 1000 cells5
6
5
5
P + acitretin (oral) alone
P + acitretin + NBUVB
Acitretin + PUVA
Healthy subjects
NA
NA
NA
NA
NS
NS
a
NA
2013 [26]

Systemic autoimmune diseases

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) BM 2000 cells
29
50
40
39
RA without MTX
RA with MTX
RA + MTX + folic acid
Healthy subjects
3.5 ± 1.5
3.1 ± 3.1
3.1 ± 2.9
0.8 ± 0.8
3.1 ± 2.8
2002 [12]
Ly 1000 cells12
31
30
Active RA
Inactive RA
Healthy subjects
3.3 ± 1.3a
3.2 ± 1.1a
1.9 ± 1.1
2011 [27]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) Ly 2000 cells
NA
SLE without treatment
SLE with CYC
Healthy subjects
6.2 ± 2.4
10.1 ± 4.7c
5.5 ± 2.2
1995 [28]
Ly 2000 cells
15
18
SLE without treatment
Healthy subjects
10.6 ± 3.9%
9.1 ± 4.6%
1999 [4]
BM 1000 cells
10
10
7
7
43
SLE before first CYC bolus
SLE 14 days after 1st CYC bolus
SLE before second CYC bolus
SLE 14 after the 2nd CYC bolus
Healthy subjects
NA
1.5 ± 1.6
2.9 ± 2.1
4.5 ± 2.3a
7.0 ± 2.8b
1.3 ± 1.3
2000 [13]
BM 1000 cells
25
24
43
SLE without CYC
SLE with CYC
Healthy subjects
0.9 ± 1.1
1.3 ± 1.2
1.3 ± 1.4
3.4 ± 2.2 (14 d)c  
2004 [29]
BM 1000 cells58
58
SLE patients
Healthy controls
Median cell counts of MN were significantly higher among SLE patients2014 [30]

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) Ly 2000 cells
11
5
6
18
SSc
SSc (ACA+/Scl70−)
SSc (ACA−/Scl70+)
Healthy subjects
27.4 ± 19.9b
38.0 ± 24.9b
18.7 ± 9.5b
9.1 ± 4.6
1999 [4]
Ly 1000 cells
43
13
16
25
SSc
Idiopathic RP
Secondary RP
Healthy subjects
19.1 ± 2.1
23.5 ± 2.7
9.4 ± 2.2
25.9 ± 1.7
2003 [31]
Fibroblasts 100010
10
9
SSc (nonaffected skin) + bleomycin
SSc (affected skin) + bleomycin
Healthy subjects + bleomycin
15.4 ± 13.6
14.0 ± 12.0
4.7 ± 3.3
38.5 ± 17.9a
38.0 ± 26.1a
20.5 ± 13.1
2010 [32]

Behçet’s disease (BD) BM 1000 cells10
6
4
9
Patients with BD
BD treated with colchicine
BD without colchicines
Healthy subjects
1.9 ± 0.9
1.7 ± 1.0
2.3 ± 0.5
0.8 ± 0.7
2005 [33]
Ly 1000 cells
30
10
20
20
Patients with BD
BD without colchicine
BD with colchicine
Healthy subjects
3.4 ± 1.1
3.6 ± 1.2a
3.4 ± 1.1a
2.2 ± 0.7
Ly 1000 cells
14
16
20
BD inactive
BD active
Healthy subjects
3.1 ± 1.3b
3.2 ± 1.2a
2.2 ± 0.7
2009 [34]
Ly 1000 cells18
22
30
BD negative HLA-B51
BD positive HLA-B51
Healthy subjects
2.6 ± 0.7c
3.5 ± 0.7c
1.7 ± 0.3
2013 [35]

: sample size; d: days; statistical differences: , , and ; Ly: lymphocytes; BM: buccal mucosa; T1DM: type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM: type 2 diabetes mellitus; P: psoralen; PUVA: psoralen + UV A ultraviolet A irradiation; NBUVB: narrow-band ultraviolet B irradiation; MS: multiple sclerosis, RA: rheumatoid arthritis, MTX: methotrexate, SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus, CYC: cyclophosphamide, SSc: systemic sclerosis, ACA: anti-cytoplasmic antibodies, Scl-70: antibodies against topoisomerase I, RP: Raynaud’s phenomenon, BD: Behçet’s disease, NA: not available, NS: not significant.