title: Response of rat salivary glands to mastication of pelleted vitamin A-deficient diet.
abstract: Interpretation of previous studies of the effects of hypovitaminosis. A on salivary glands is confounded by the atrophic effects of liquid or powdered diets. The purpose of this study was to reevaluate the effects of vitamin. A deficiency on the morphology and function of rat salivary glands using a pelleted diet that promotes physiological levels of masticatory stimulation. Profound vitamin A deficiency resulted in a marked decrease in stimulated parotid secretion. Histological evaluation demonstrated the development of squamous metaplasia in the ducts of parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands; however, atrophy was observed only in serious salivary glands. In the parotid gland the degree of atrophy corresponded to the decrease in stimulated secretion. Mild hypovitaminosis A (before the development of squamous metaplasia in ducts) was associated with distinctly different effects. The parotid gland was moderately enlarged. There was also a significant increase in stimulated secretion, which was not explained by changes in gland size, muscarinic receptor number or affinity, or receptor-mediated calcium signalling.
authors.affiliation: Oral Pathology Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington DC 20422, USA.
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Redman
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Ambudkar
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008679:Metaplasia; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D018987:Salivary Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*