β-Carotene Patch Application Prevent Micronucleus Formation By Increasing Cx-43 Expression

Objectives: Radiation of panoramic radiography exposure might be related to carcinogenesis mechanism. Detection of micronucleus is one of early markers of DNA damage. From the previous studies, it proved that micronucleus increased after panoramic radiography exposure in gingival mucosa. β-Carotene is the lipid soluble antioxidant substance which is expected to prevent the oxidative reaction and to improve the juctional communication which detected by Cx-43. The objective of this research is to evaluate the correlation of the micronucleus increasing number and Cx-43 expression due to panoramic radiography exposure after topical β-Carotene patch application.
Methods: A total of 18 New Zealand rabbits were divided into 2 groups. Group I was the control group that were given panoramic radiography exposure without β-carotene gingival mucoadhesive patch application. Group II was given an application of β-carotene gingival mucoadhesive patch before panoramic radiography exposure. Micronucleus samples were taken from the swabbed of rabbit’s gingival mucosa then stained by using modified Feulgen-Rossenbeck. The Cx-43 expression were detected using immunohistochemistry technique.
Results: The results were analyzed using t-test and Pearson correlation. It showed that the increased number of micronucleus from Group I had different mean (p<0.05) with Group II. There was significant correlation (r=0.625) between micronucleus increased and Cx-43 expression after β-Carotene gingival mucoadhesif patch application due to panoramic radiography exposure.
Conclusions: β-Carotene gingival mucoadhesive patch application prevent micronucleus formation by increasing Cx-43 expression.