Abstract
In order to clarify the histopathological changes of oral mucosa induced by low iron conditions, rat tongue epithelia in low iron conditions were examined histologically. Sprague-Dawley rats (3 weeks old) were divided into 2 groups. The experimental group (E group n=10) was given a low iron diet (PMI.Test Diet 5895,<5mg Fe/kg diet), while the control group (C group n=10) was fed a standard laboratory diet (NIHON CLEA, CE-II, 347 mg Fe/kg diet). Animals were sacrified after 8 weeks and 18 weeks, and their tongues were removed and histologically analyzed by H-E staining, SEM and histochemistry with anti-PCNA staining. Although histological changes of tongue papilla were not observed, epithelial dysplasia was demonstrated in some rats of E-group, and a significant increase in the percentage of PCNA positive cells in basal and para basal cell layers were observed in E-group when compared with that of C group (65% in E group, 7% in C group, 8 weeks; 50% in E group, 7% in C group, 18 weeks). Our results suggest that the increase in mitotic activity of tongue epithelia can be induced by the administration of a low iron diet.
