Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) evaluation of lingual salivary glands of chronic alcoholics.
BACKGROUND
Chronic alcoholism has been associated with structural and physiological changes in salivary glands. Studies on a variety of pathologies have suggested that variation in number of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) reveals conditions of cellular activity. The aim of this work was to examine, through the AgNOR technique, changes in number and size of NORs in lingual salivary glands of chronic alcoholics.


METHODS
Samples of mucous and serous lingual salivary glands were obtained from tongues from autopsies of individuals whose cause of death was hepatic alcoholic cirrhosis. Lingual organs from individuals whose cause of death was accidental were used as controls. Number and size of the AgNORs and nuclear area, in ductal and acinar cells, were evaluated through a digital image analyzer.


RESULTS
Statistical analysis revealed differences (P < or = 0.05) in number of AgNORs in mucous acini and ductal cells. Also, we observed changes in the area of the NORs.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that in alcoholics the activity of glandular cells, mainly in ductal epithelium, could be affected, modifying synthesis, transport and salivary secretions.
Severgnini
M
M
Cátedra de Morfología Animal, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
Ferraris
M E
ME
Carranza
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000473:pathology*; D016622:Silver Staining; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014059:Tongue; D014158:Transcription, Genetic