title: Post-Irradiated Human Submandibular Glands Display High Collagen Deposition, Disorganized Cell Junctions, and an Increased Number of Adipocytes.
abstract: Salivary glands are vital for maintaining oral health. Head and neck radiation therapy is one of the most common causes of salivary gland hypofunction. Little is known about the structural changes that occur in salivary glands after radiation therapy. The aim of this study is to understand the structural changes that occur in post-irradiated human (submandibular gland [SMG]) as compared with untreated ones. We determined changes in epithelial polarity, presence of collagen deposition, and alteration in adipose tissue. We used formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human SMG from two female subjects exposed to head and neck irradiation. We utilized hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's Trichrome staining. The immunostained tissue sections were examined using confocal microscopy. The number and size of adipocytes per tissue section were calculated using ImageJ, Prism, and SPSS software. Post-irradiated human SMG displayed high collagen deposition, disorganized cell junctions, and an increased number of adipocytes as compared with non-irradiated controls. These findings are important to improve our understanding of the individual risk and variation in radiation-related salivary gland dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (KN, CLM, BGT, OJB)
authors.forename: Kihoon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (KN, CLM, BGT, OJB)
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (KN, CLM, BGT, OJB)
authors.forename: Bryan G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Trump
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (LB, JPH, MMM)
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buchmann
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (LB, JPH, MMM)
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (LB, JPH, MMM)
authors.forename: Marcus M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Monroe
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (KN, CLM, BGT, OJB)
authors.forename: Olga J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: adipose; collagen; radiation; submandibular; tight junctions