Buccal micronucleus cytome assay in the system of the hygienic evaluation of learning conditions of students of different faculties of the same university

The article presents the results of the second fragment of the complex genetic and psychological examination of 177 students of the chemical (CD) and economic (ED) departments of the Russian D.I. Mendeleev Chemical-Technological University. The design of the whole work included the analysis of conditions, socio-economic characteristics and the quality of life, multi-parameter psychological testing (177 students) and the buccal micronucleus cytome assay (146 students). The results of the first stage of the study showed the state of health and emotional state of the students not to be affected by the socio-economic factors that were taken into account, but the determined ones were: on CD, the duration of weekly laboratory work and, in both departments, the attitude of students to their future specialization. The purpose of this publication is to test the hypothesis of the relationship between the status of genome instability determined by the micronucleus test on buccal epithelium cells, the current exposure to chemical compounds during the work in the chemical laboratory, the presence of diseases, the influence of socioeconomic factors and the state of the emotional sphere. The research is a priority. In young men trained in CD, the total frequency of cells with micronuclei and cells with nuclear buds was demonstrated to be significantly greater in comparison with young men studying at EF. In contrast, the frequency of cells with the pyknosis of the nucleus was higher in young men from the EF. At both departments, the frequency of cells with condensed chromatin in the nucleus in young men was higher than in girls and was directly related to the practical work time in the chemical laboratory (hour/week). The frequency of micronucleated cells was shown to be associated with the student’s emotional state and the frequency of cells with the pycnosis of the nucleus was related with the way of life (mobile or sedentary).