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GENERAL
INFORMATION
Although
macrocytic formation of hematopoetic cells has commonly been the first
recognized disorder of a folic acid/B12 deficiency, changes in the hormone
sensitive, rapidly proliferating cells of the cervix often develop several
weeks sooner (DeMay
RM, 1996,Koss
LG 1979, Klaus
H, 1971). Cell changes of overall cytomegaly
(enlargement
of both cytoplasm and nucleus while maintaining a normal N/C ratio) as
well as nuclear folding and creasing are
characteristic
(Van
Niekerk WA, 1966, Klaus
H, 1971). Changes can be deceptively similar to
dysplasia, especially if associated with chronic hormone use (see illustration,
hormone
effect), and new studies show a deficiency
in cervical cells may be the precursor stage
of HPV (human papilloma virus)
(Kwasniewska
A, 1997, Koss
LG, 1979). High levels of folic acid appear to provide a protective
effect against the initiation of HPV-related dysplasias (Piyathilake
CJ,2004, Liu
T, 1995, Harper
JM, 1994, Grio
R, 1993, Butterworth
CE, 1993). Improving folate acid
levels in women at risk of getting infected or who are already infected
with high-risk HPV may have a positive impact in the prevention of cervical
cancer (Piyathilake
CJ, 2004). Alterations in other types of epithelial cells such
as gastric, bronchial, and endothelial, are known to occur as well
(Heimburger
DC, 1992). Radiation and
chemotherapy effect cells similarly as these
interventions arrest cell division by inhibiting DNA
thymine synthesis of which folic acid takes
part (Ames
BN, 1999, DeMay
RM, 1996). Antioxidant deficiencies
(vitamins A, E, C, zinc, and selenium) have been shown to exhibit the same
morphological cell changes as folic acid/B12 deficiency (Ames
BN, 1999, Blount
BC, 1997; see also, Hormone Effect). |
