EXCRETION PROFILE OF TORQUE TENO VIRUS (TTV) IN SALIVA SAMPLES FROM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE USERS

• Grant number: 25/03467-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Janete Dias Almeida
• Grantee: Amanda Santos Castro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Torque teno virus (TTV) is a single-stranded DNA virus, discovered in 1997, with aworldwide distribution. To date, approximately 39 genotypes have been identified, andevidence suggests a correlation between TTV genetic material levels andimmunosuppressive conditions such as organ transplantation, hepatitis, and HumanImmunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. However, it remains unclear whether thepresence, absence, and/or increase of TTV in saliva or other biological fluids mayindicate the onset of local or systemic diseases or the worsening of preexistingconditions. Nicotine delivery systems have been widely used, especially among youngindividuals, raising concerns about their potential side effects, which have already beenobserved in some cases. The local immunosuppressive response induced byconventional cigarette smoking in the oral cavity is well established and is associatedwith heat exposure and toxic substances. However, the impact of electronic cigaretteson oral immune response remains poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate theprevalence and genetic material levels of TTV in the saliva of electronic cigarette users,investigating whether the potential local immunosuppressive effect of these devices mayinfluence viral colonization in the oral cavity. The study included 25 vape users and 25non-users (control group), matched for sex and age. The samples will undergo geneticmaterial extraction and purification, followed by PCR reactions for target detection. Theresults will be recorded in Excel spreadsheets (2016 version) and statistically processedusing Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS®) version 20 and MiniTab®version 16. (AU)