Korean J Oral Maxillofac Radiol.  2006 Mar;36(1):7-15.

Effect of radiation dose variation on expression of caspase-3 in rat submandibular glands

• Kwon KJ
• Choi YS
• Hwang EH
• Lee SR
• Koh KJ

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the caspase-3 expression in the acinar and ductal cells of rat submandibular glands after the irradiation of various doses.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing approximately 250 gm were used for this study. The experimental group was irradiated with a single absorbed dose of 2, 5, 10, and 15 Gy on the head and neck region. The rats were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day after irradiation. The specimens including the submandibular gland were sectioned and observed using histopathological and immunohistochemical methods.
RESULTS
The local destruction of the acinar and ductal cells and the karyopyknotic nuclei of the acinar cells were observed in the 2 Gy and 5 Gy irradiation groups later than in the 10 Gy and 15 Gy irradiation groups. And the expression of caspase-3 was prominent only in the ductal cells in the 2 Gy and 5 Gy irradiation groups.
CONCLUSION
This experiment suggests that radiation-induced apoptosis in the ductal cells of rat submandibular glands was induced by a low dose radiation associated with the activation of caspase-3 and radiation-induced necrosis was induced by a high dose radiation.

Keyword

Irradiation Dose; Submandibular Gland; Caspase-3

MeSH Terms

Acinar Cells
Animals
Apoptosis
Caspase 3*
Head
Humans
Male
Neck
Necrosis
Rats*
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Submandibular Gland*
Caspase 3