The Impact of Physical Exercise on the Presence of Micronuclei in Buccal Mucosa Cells in Individuals with Different Glycemic States.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, with a worldwide increasing prevalence attributed to socioeconomic, demographic, environmental, and genetic factors. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is closely linked to obesity, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, resulting in oxidative stress and DNA damage due to insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, T2DM leads to hyposalivation, elevated salivary glucose, and periodontal disease. This study aimed to evaluate DNA damage in the oral mucosa of 78 individuals (ages 30-76) with T2DM, pre-diabetes, or healthy controls, who reported engaging in physical exercise or not. Micronuclei were assessed in 100 oral epithelial cells per individual. Statistical analysis included descriptive and normality tests, as well as Kruskal-Wallis. Our results showed an increased number of micronuclei in T2DM patients, regardless of physical exercise. This suggests that T2DM can induce DNA damage, an effect not prevented by self-reported physical exercise. These DNA damages are involved in the comorbidities associated with T2DM, leading to cellular dysfunction. Moreover, the micronuclei assay proved to be a reliable, effective, minimally invasive, and low-cost biomarker for the prevention, screening, and monitoring of T2DM.