Biomarkers as a Different Approach in Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addiction (Preliminary Study)

Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder and a burden to society and individuals. The toxicity induced by drugs related with addiction may trigger dysfunction and death of cells of the central nervous system. The study of alterations of proteins and biomarkers in buccal cells would be beneficial in understanding drug addiction, as the buccal mucosa is of ectodermal origin such as the central nervous system.

Buccal smears of 35 individuals with addictive disorders (20) or substance use disorders (15) for more than 3 years were collected by the gentle brushing of the inside of the cheeks. Immunocytochemical staining of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, NFKβ, bcl-2, and ucp4 was performed on the epithelial cells, for the study of oxidative stress, toxicity, and inflammation. Papanicolaou staining was also performed for the potential structural disorders. There was a correlation with the clinical profile of each individual. None of the individuals was HIV or Tbc positive.

Cytomorphology and immunoprofile of the smears of chronic relapsers and substance users for more than 3 years revealed karyolitic cells undergoing necrosis and increased expression of the markers IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NFKβ. Decreased expression of bcl2 was correlated with increased expression of ucp4.

The literature in the area of addiction is growing rapidly; however, the results are still mixed. Given the complexity of the problem, the goal should be the discovery of a minimal invasive and inexpensive diagnostic procedure to identify a prognostic and therapeutic target. The correlation of the expression of biomarkers on buccal cells could be valuable for the design of predictive and therapeutic strategies.