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Ultrastructural changes of the palatal mucosa following application of 4-nitroquinoline-l-oxide (4NQO) in rats subjected to major salivary gland excision.

Sioga A, Economou L, Kaklamanos EG, Antoniades V, Keramidas G, Manthos A, Antoniades K

Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that saliva exerts a protective role against the carcinogenic effect of various substances in the oral cavity. The objective of this study was to examine the ultrastructural changes of the palatal mucosa caused by the application of 4-nitroquinoline-l-oxide (4NQO) in the presence or absence of saliva. STUDY DESIGN: Wistar-Furth rats subjected and not subjected to total bilateral excision of the major salivary glands were either painted with an aqueous solution of 4NQO or with propylene glycol only (controls). Two animals of each group were humanely killed periodically. The areas of the palatal lesions were immediately sliced and processed for TEM examination. RESULTS: Ultrastructurally, the progressive changes to squamous cell carcinoma were observed in the animals painted with 4NQO. In the desalivated animals group, the ultrastructural alterations appeared earlier than in the group with salivary glands. CONCLUSIONS: Saliva appeared to delay but not hinder tumor induction by 4NQO.

Published 20 March 2006 in Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 101(4): 487-98.
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