title: Induction of apoptosis in rabbit oral mucosa by 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride gel.
abstract: Applying of 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel to prevent caries in children has become very popular among dental practitioners. When applied to dental surfaces, however, APF often comes into contact with the oral mucosa. Due to the possibility of local toxic effect, we aimed to investigate the effects of APF on rabbit oral mucosa. Rabbits were sacrificed 1, 5 and 8 days after topical application of 1.23% APF on the oral buccal mucosa for 4 min. The nuclei with DNA strand breaks of the basal epithelial cell layer was estimated using terminal-deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated deoxyuridine-triphospate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). Epithelial cells were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The number of basal epithelial cells with DNA strand breaks increased with time in rabbits treated with 1.23% APF. Transmission electron microscopy revealed evidence of apoptosis in the parabasal and basal epithelial cells showed, with loss of cell-to-cell contact, nuclear chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies. The results demonstrate in vivo that 1.23% APF induced apoptosis in basal epithelial cells of rabbit oral mucosa. It suggests the possible necessity to prevent oral mucosa contact when APF applied on teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Jui-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hsi-Kung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Ming-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chih-Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Shyr
authors.forename: Pei-Chang
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000149:Acidulated Phosphate Fluoride / Q000633:toxicity*; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053960:DNA Breaks / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005782:Gels; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors