Reaction of the oral mucosa to damage and its regeneration during cytostatic therapy

Abstract

Objective: Experimental study of the damaging effect of cytostatics on the oral mucosa, disruption of the protective mechanisms of the mucous membrane, as well as assessment of the reversibility of these changes. Materials and methods: Using histological, morphometric, and quantitative histochemical methods, the mucous membrane of the tongue was studied on 40 mature white outbred mice after intraperitoneal administration of the cytostatic cyclophosphamide (CP) at a dose of 400 mg/kg for 5 days (20 animals). Animals in the control group (20 mice) were injected with isotonic sodium chloride solution at the same frequency. The material was obtained 24 hours and 20 days after the last injection of the drug. The condition of the oral mucosa (OM) on the ventral surface of the tongue was assessed. Results: Exposure to CP led to damage to all layers of the mucous membrane: the processes of proliferation and keratinization of the integumentary epithelium were disrupted, and synthetic processes in the epithelial cells of the small mixed salivary glands were disrupted. The number of granulocytes and mast cells decreased, and the relative volume of blood vessels in the connective tissue of the mucous membrane decreased. The changes were reversible. Conclusions: Cytostatic therapy leads to damage to the oral mucosa and disruption of its supraepithelial, epithelial and subepithelial protective mechanisms. There is a high degree of regeneration of the mucous membranes after the withdrawal of the cytostatic drug.