title: Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural investigation of acinar cells in submandibular and sublingual glands of rats fed a liquid diet.
abstract: In atrophic parotid glands induced by liquid diet, acinar cell apoptosis is increased while proliferative activity is reduced. This study aimed to clarify how liquid diet affects submandibular and sublingual glands, including acinar cell apoptosis and proliferation. Seven-week-old male Wistar rats were fed either a liquid (experimental group) or pellet diet (control group) from 3 to 21 days, respectively. Submandibular and sublingual glands were weighed and examined histologically, ultrastructurally, and immunohistochemically using antibodies to cleaved caspase-3 (Casp-3) and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Weights of submandibular and sublingual gland from the experimental group were not significantly different from controls at any time point. Histological and ultrastructural characteristics of experimental acinar cells in both glands were normal. Acinar cells in control and experimental submandibular glands were positively stained with periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and weakly stained by alcian blue (AB). In control and experimental sublingual glands, mucous acinar cells were PAS-positive and strongly AB-positive. Although Casp-3- and BrdU-positive acinar cells were identified in both glands in the experimental group, their labeling indices were not significantly different from controls. In conclusion, liquid diet in rats does not induce atrophic alterations to acinar cells, including apoptosis and proliferative activity in submandibular and sublingual glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan. Electronic address: tshigeru@den.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uekita
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yuge
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ushijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita 13, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Domon
mesh_terms: D061354:Acinar Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005526:Food, Formulated; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013361:Sublingual Gland; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Apoptosis; Cell proliferation; Liquid diet; Sublingual gland; Submandibular gland; Ultrastructure