title: The effects of antidepressants and pilocarpine on rat parotid glands: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of antidepressants and pilocarpine on the quantity of myoepithelial cells and on the proliferation index of the epithelial cells of rat parotid glands.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Hyposalivation, xerostomia, and alterations in saliva composition are important clinical side effects related to the use of antidepressants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety male Wistar rats were allocated to nine groups. The control groups received saline for 30 (group C30) or 60 days (group C60) or pilocarpine for 60 days (group Pilo). The experimental groups were administered fluoxetine (group F30) or venlafaxine for 30 days (group V30); fluoxetine (group FS60) or venlafaxine (group VS60) with saline for 60 days; or fluoxetine (group FP60) or venlafaxine (group VP60) with pilocarpine for 60 days. Parotid gland specimens were processed, and the immunohistochemical expression of calponin and proliferating cell nuclear anti-antigen on the myoepithelial and parenchymal cells, respectively, was evaluated. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey HSD and Games-Howell tests were applied to detect differences among groups (p<0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the controls, chronic exposure to antidepressants was associated with an increase in the number of positively stained cells for calponin. In addition, venlafaxine administration for 30 days was associated with an increase in the number of positively stained cells for proliferating cell nuclear anti-antigen. Fluoxetine and pilocarpine (group FP60) induced a significant decrease in the number of positively stained cells for calponin compared with all other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of positively stained cells for calponin increased after chronic administration of antidepressants. The proliferation index of the epithelial cells of rat parotid glands was not altered by the use of antidepressants for 60 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana Maria Folador
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: Silvana da
authors.initials: Sd
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Ana Maria Trindade
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grégio
authors.forename: Maria Ângela Naval
authors.initials: MÂ
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Antônio Adilson Soares de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Luciana Reis Azevedo
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Alanis
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D000096985:Calponins
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D005473:Fluoxetine; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010862:Pilocarpine; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D000096985:Calponins