BIOLOGICAL EFFECT OF ACRYLAMIDE ON PAROTID SALIVARY GLAND OF ALBINO RATS

Introduction : Nutrition is a very important environmental factor that plays a crucial role in short and long-term health outcomes. Findings of acrylamide in many starchy foods have increased the interest in understanding its toxic mechanisms and risks upon human.
Objective : This study aimed to clarify the biological effects of acrylamide intake on parotid salivary gland in albino rats structurally and ultra-structurally.
Methodology: Twenty male Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into test and control groups. Group I (control group), were taking saline vehicle (4 rats). Group II (test group), were taking acrylamide in dose of 15 mg/kg and divided into two subgroups (8 rats for each). The parotid salivary gland biopsy was taken according to the experimental periods (A: 15 days; B: 30 days). At the respective monitoring periods, the parotid gland was dissected and prepared for histological examination and evaluated by morphometry to record the histologic changes and electron microscopic analysis.
Results: Light microscopic studies revealed degeneration, fusion and loss of acinar cells outlines, scattered cellular remnants throughout the gland, pyknotic nuclei, varying sizes of cytoplasmic vacuoles in the acinar cells and destruction in the duct outlines with loss of its cell lining which increased by time. Electron microscopic analysis showed pyknotic nuclei with abnormal dilatation and degeneration of cytoplasmic organelles (golgi complex, rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria), many clearly evident cytoplasmic vacuoles and considerable numbers of immature electron-lucent granules of different shapes and size were detected which decreased with prolonged acrylamide intake. Differences in normal nuclear count, circulatory factor of serous acini and inter-connective tissue space in between the acini in both test and control groups were statistically calculated and were found to be significant. Group comparison at different time periods revealed, significant differences between I & IIA, I & IIB and IIA & IIB for the tested parameters (P < 0.001).
Conclusions : On the basis of the obtained results, we concluded that acrylamide intake yielded structural / ultra-structural changes of parotid salivary gland and the effects were pronounced with prolonged intake. This might indicate risk of gland damage due to acrylamide intake.