title: Effects of Nicotine on Rat Tongue Mucosa. Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Analyses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the histopathological and immunohistochemical effects of systemically administered nicotine on rat tongue mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group received nicotine systemically (nicotine sulphate 2 mg/kg subcutaneously daily for 28 days), while the rats in the control group were administered physiological saline (1.5 mL subcutaneously for 28 days). All animals were sacrificed at the end of the study, and tongue tissue samples were removed and prepared according to routine histological procedures. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and observed by light microscopy. Immunoreactivity of tongue mucosa was assessed with E-cadherin, collagen IV, and VEGF expression by immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the average histopathological score between the nicotine-treated and untreated groups. Morphological changes, including inflammatory leukocyte infiltration and cellular desquamation, blood vessel dilation, hemorrhage, and epithelial degeneration, were noted. Further, E-cadherin expression was significantly decreased in the nicotine-treated group versus the untreated group. The nicotine treatment group showed an increase in collagen IV secondary papillae and basal cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased level of VEGF expression in the nicotine-treated group may have affected endothelial cell apoptosis.
authors.forename: Veysel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eratilla
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Deveci
authors.forename: Rojdan Ferman
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Güneş
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eratilla
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Sevda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Söker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000096:biosynthesis; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D009538:Nicotine