COVID-19 Virus Found to Trigger DNA Damage in Mouth Cells, Raising New Concerns!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 22, 2025 5 hours, 1 minute ago
Medical News: A startling new study by researchers from India has uncovered that SARS-CoV-2—the virus behind COVID-19—can cause serious genetic damage in the cells lining the inside of our mouths. This discovery adds to growing evidence that COVID-19 is far more than just a respiratory illness.
COVID-19 Virus Found to Trigger DNA Damage in Mouth Cells, Raising New Concerns!
The research team consisted of scientists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Mangalagiri, and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences in Chennai. They found that people who tested positive for COVID-19 had significantly higher signs of DNA damage in their oral epithelial cells, compared to those who were negative. This
Medical News report is based on detailed testing of patients’ saliva and cells from the inside of their cheeks.
How the Virus Affects Oral Cells
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is known to enter the body through receptors called ACE2, which are found not just in the lungs, but also in the mouth and throat. Because of this, the virus can latch on to the cells in the mouth and cause inflammation, immune reactions, and oxidative stress—a condition where harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) build up and begin damaging cells.
The researchers examined oral cells collected from 86 people suspected of having COVID-19. Using a series of stains and advanced microscopy, they looked for two key signs of genetic damage—micronuclei (tiny fragments of broken chromosomes inside cells) and the presence of a molecule called 8-OHdG, a marker of oxidative DNA damage.
Micronuclei Reveal Genetic Chaos
One of the main findings of the study was a significant increase in micronuclei in the oral cells of COVID-19-positive individuals. These micronuclei are formed when chromosomes break apart during cell division, often due to harmful exposures like radiation, toxic chemicals—or in this case, viral infection. The average number of micronucleated cells in COVID-positive patients was nearly double that of those who tested negative (11.32 vs 6.09 per 100 cells).
Micronuclei are considered early warning signs of genetic instability and are often seen in the early stages of cancer development. Their presence in healthy mouth cells points to the virus’s potential to cause long-term damage beyond the lungs.
Dangerous Oxidative Stress Detected
The second alarming discovery involved 8-OHdG, a molecule formed when DNA is damaged by oxidative stress. In COVID-19-positive patients, this marker was found in far greater amounts and showed up as intense brown staining in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of the affected cells. This level of oxidative stress suggests that the cells were under attack from within, likely due to inflammation and immune system overdrive caused by the virus.
In fact, over 26% of COVID-19-positive patients showed severe staining of 8-OHdG, while none of
the COVID-negative participants did. This highlights the unique and damaging effect of the virus on oral tissues.
High Inflammation and Lowered Epithelial Cell Ratio
Another part of the study revealed that COVID-positive individuals had a much lower ratio of healthy epithelial cells to inflammatory cells in their mouth. This means their mouths were flooded with immune cells—mostly neutrophils and lymphocytes—responding to the infection. But this response comes at a cost: these immune cells release more harmful ROS that further damage DNA, feeding a vicious cycle.
The epithelial-to-inflammatory cell ratio in COVID-positive patients was three times lower than in negative ones, showing just how aggressively the body was responding to the virus in the oral cavity.
How the Virus Does the Damage
The study also explored how the SARS-CoV-2 virus may directly cause DNA damage. Once inside the body, it produces non-structural proteins that interfere with vital cellular systems, such as DNA repair mechanisms (like DNA polymerase alpha) and tumor-suppressing proteins like p53. These disruptions can cause genetic errors during cell division, leading to genomic instability—essentially a breakdown in the cell’s ability to maintain its DNA correctly.
The accumulation of 8-OHdG and micronuclei in oral cells paints a clear picture: SARS-CoV-2 creates an environment where DNA damage is rampant, potentially increasing the risk of cancerous changes if such conditions persist.
Implications for the Future
This research suggests that even in patients with mild or no respiratory symptoms, the oral cavity can be severely affected by COVID-19. The presence of micronuclei and oxidative DNA damage in the mouth could be used as early warning signs for more serious problems to come. These markers might also help predict the severity of infection and guide future treatments.
Antioxidant therapies, better oral hygiene, and possibly even targeted treatments to reduce inflammation in the mouth could be explored as ways to mitigate these effects.
The findings also open the door for new screening tools. By simply analyzing buccal smears, doctors might be able to identify patients at higher risk of severe COVID-19 complications or long-term consequences.
Conclusion
This study reveals yet another alarming side to SARS-CoV-2. It not only causes respiratory problems but also harms the cells in our mouths at a genetic level. The rise in micronuclei and 8-OHdG levels points to DNA damage and heightened inflammation—conditions that could increase the risk of cancer and other chronic issues if left unchecked. Understanding these early signs gives us the opportunity to take preventive measures and better assess who is at risk of long-term complications. Monitoring these markers might eventually become a key part of post-COVID care and oral health surveillance.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Cureus.
https://www.cureus.com/articles/344611-a-comparative-study-on-genotoxic-and-oxidative-dna-damage-in-oral-epithelial-cells-of-covid-19-suspected-patients#!/
For the latest COVID-19 News, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/sars-cov-2-spike-proteins-are-genotoxic-and-cause-dna-damage
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-thousands-of-novel-hybrid-genes-or-chimeric-rnas-found-in-the-blood-of-the-covid-19-infected
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-triggers-chronic-gastritis-alters-stomach-cell-functions-and-push-gastric-cells-toward-cancer-like-states
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
https://www.thailandmedical.news/pages/thailand_doctors_listings
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/hospital-news
Share
Tweet
Share
