Anat Cell Biol.  2017 Sep;50(3):187-199. 10.5115/acb.2017.50.3.187.

Histological study on the effect of nicotine on adult male guinea pig thin skin

• Eltony SA
• Ali SS

• KMID: 2390480
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2017.50.3.187

Abstract

Tobacco smoking has been identified as an important factor in premature skin aging to detect the histological changes occurred in adult male guinea pig thin skin under the influence of low and high doses of nicotine; which constitutes approximately 0.6%-3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco. Fifteen adult male pigmented guinea pigs were equally divided into three groups: group I, control; group IIA, low dose nicotine treated; 3 mg/kg subcutaneously for 4 weeks; and group IIB, high dose nicotine treated; 6 mg/kg subcutaneously for 4 weeks. Specimens from the back thin skin were processed for light and electron microscopy. Nicotine administration revealed flattened dermo-epidermal junction and reduced rete ridges formation. Collagen bundles were disorganized with increased spaces between them. A reduction in the amount of elastic fibers in the dermis were also observed compared to group I. Ultrastructurally, keratinocytes had hyperchromatic nuclei, intracytoplasmic vacuoles, disruption of desmosomal junctions, irregular tonofilaments distribution, and increased inter-cellular spaces. These changes were more pronounced with high dose nicotine administration. The epidermal thickness was reduced in low dose nicotine administration. But, high dose nicotine administration revealed increased epidermal thickness compared to the control group. Nicotine induced structural changes of adult male guinea pig thin skin. These changes were more pronounced with high dose nicotine administration.

Keyword

Nicotine; Thin skin; Guinea pigs

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Animals
Collagen
Dermis
Elastic Tissue
Guinea Pigs*
Guinea*
Humans
Intermediate Filaments
Keratinocytes
Male*
Microscopy, Electron
Nicotine*
Skin Aging
Skin*
Smoking
Tobacco
Vacuoles
Collagen
Nicotine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Photomicrographs of paraffin sections in guinea pig thin skin (H&E, ×400). (A) Group I: epidermal layers; stratum basale (B), stratum spinosum (S), stratum granulosum (G), stratum corneum (C), and melanocyte (M). (B) Group IIA: marked reduction in the epidermal thickness compared to group I, flattened dermoepidermal junction (arrow), swollen corneocyte (C), and melanocyte (M). (C) Group IIB: increased epidermal thickness compared to group IIA, flattened dermo-epidermal junction (arrow), desquamated granule cells in the stratum corneum (C), stratum granulosum (G), melanocyte (M), congested blood capillary (arrowhead).

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  Fig. 2 The mean epidermal thickness (µm) in the studied groups.

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  Fig. 3 The mean rete ridges length (µm) in the studied groups.

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  Fig. 4 The mean number of melanocytes in the studied groups.

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  Fig. 5 Photomicrographs of paraffin sections in guinea pig thin skin (Orcein stain, ×400). (A) Group I: thin thread-like elastic fibers (arrow) in the dermis. hf, hair follicle. (B) Group IIA: thicker and fewer elastic fibers (arrow) in the dermis compared to group I. (C) Group IIB: more reduction in the amount of elastic fibers (arrow) in the dermis.

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  Fig. 6 Photomicrographs of paraffin sections in guinea pig thin skin (Masson's trichrome stain, ×400). (A) Group I: compact bundles of collagen fibers (arrow) in the dermis. (B) Group IIA: less compactly arranged collagen fibers (arrow) in the dermis compared to group I. (C) Group IIB: widely separated collagen fibers (arrow) in the dermis.

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  Fig. 7 Photomicrographs of semithin sections in the dermis (Toluidine blue, ×1,000). (A) Group I. sg, sebaceous gland; B, basal flattened cell. Asterisk indicates polyhedral cells with rounded nuclei and vacuolated cytoplasm. (B) Group IIA. Note the dark irregular nucleus (arrowhead). (C) Group IIB. Note the swollen polyhedral cells (asterisk) with accumulated secretion.

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  Fig. 8 Photomicrographs of semithin sections in the dermis (Toluidine blue, ×1,000). (A) Group I: mast cells with numerous intracytoplasmic metachromatic granules (arrows). Group IIA (B) and IIB (C): mast cell with few intra-cytoplasmic metachromatic granules (arrows).

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  Fig. 9 Electron micrographs, stratum basale (×4,800). (A) Group I: basal cell nucleus (N) with invaginated nuclear envelope. Desmosomes (white arrowhead), membrane microfols (arrow), basement membrane (BM), hemidesmosomes (black arrowhead). (B) Group IIA: basal cell nucleus (N), mitochondria (m), dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae (R), disrupted desmosomes (arrowheads), basement membrane (BM). (C) Group IIB: basement membrane (BM), basal cell nucleus (N). Note the increased intercellular spaces with prominent lateral plasma membrane microfolds (arrowheads).

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  Fig. 10 Electron micrographs, melanocytes (×4,800). (A) Group I: intracytoplasmic melanosomes (black arrowheads), nucleus (N). Note the branching process (arrow) containing melanosomes. White arrowhead indicates desmosomes. (B) Group IIA: disrupted desmosomes (white arrowheads) between melanocyte and adjacent keratinocyte, nucleus (N). Note the peripheral melanosomes and the process (arrow) containing melanosomes.

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  Fig. 11 Electron micrographs, Merkel cells (×7,200). (A) Group I: small dense cored rounded basal granules (arrowheads), nucleus (N). Note, the peripheral nerve terminals (n). Inset: The dense cored granules (arrowheads) at higher magnification (×15,000). (B) Group IIA: convoluted hyperchromatic nucleus (N), small dense cored rounded basal granule (arrowhead).

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  Fig. 12 Electron micrographs, stratum spinosum. (×4,800). (A) Group I: nucleus (N) with prominent nucleoli. Tonofilaments are obvious at the sites of desmosomes (arrowheads). (B) Group IIA: cytoplasmic vacuoles (V), nucleus (N). (C) Group IIB: disrupted desmosomes (arrow), tonofilaments (arrowheads).

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  Fig. 13 Electron micrographs, stratum granulosum (×4,800). (A) Group I: keratohyaline granules (g), nucleus (N). (B) Group IIA: large clumps of keratohyaline granules (g), thick bundles of tonofilaments (white arrowhead). Note the apoptotic nucleus (N) with peripheral marginated chromatin. (C) Group IIB: a cell at prophase stage of mitosis (M). (D) Group IIB: apoptotic fragmented nucleus (N).

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  Fig. 14 Electron micrographs, Langerhans cells (×7,200). (A) Group I: folded nucleus (N), rod shaped granules with bulbous expansion (white rectangle). No filaments or desmosomes along its cell membrane (black arrowheads). Inset: the rod shaped granules (white arrowheads) at higher magnification (×15,000). (B) Group IIA: convoluted nucleus (N), rod shaped granules (white arrowheads).

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  Fig. 15 Electron micrographs, dermis, sebaceous gland (×3,600). (A) Group I: a flattened basal cell (B), basal cell in mitosis (M), nucleus of polyhedral cell (N), intracytoplasmic lipid droplets (asterisk). (B) Group IIA: basal cell (B) with apoptotic nucleus. Retained intracytoplasmic secretion (asterisk). (C) Group IIB: basal cell (B), apoptotic nucleus (N) with peripheral marginated chromatin, apoptotic fragmented nuclei (arrowheads), retained intracytoplasmic secretion (asterisk).

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  Fig. 16 Electron micrographs, dermis, mast cell (×3,600). (A) Group I: numerous intra-cytoplasmic granules (arrowhead). Nucleus (N). Note the blood capillary (BC) and the nerve fibers (NFs). (B) Group IIA: few intra-cytoplasmic granules (arrowhead), dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) cisternae (R), nucleus (N). Note the blood capillary (BC) and the nerve fibers (NFs). (C) Group IIB: dilated RER, nucleus (N). Note the few intra-cytoplasmic granules (arrowhead). Congested blood capillary (BC).

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