Effects of Menopause and Diabetes on the Rat Parotid Glands: a Histopathological and Stereological Study

Background: The menopause is a physiological process that occurs and diabetes is a metabolic disease that has an increased incidence in advancing age in women. Aims & Objective: The purpose of the study to examine the effect of menopause and/or diabetes that causes pathophysiological status on parotid gland. Materials and Methods: Sprague-dawley 24 adult female rats (12 week old) were randomly, six rats in each group, divided into four groups; non-diabetic healthy (control), Diabetic (DM) group, Ovariectomized (OVX) group, Post Ovariectomy-Diabetes Induced (DM+OVX) group, respectively. To evaluate the results histopathological, histochemical and stereological analyses were performed. Results: Degenerative acini and duct cells with increased cytoplasmic lipid accumulation (vacuolization) in DM groups, polymorph nuclear infiltrations in OVX groups and extensive swollen nucleus with karyorrhexis and increased cytoplasmic lipid accumulation in serous acinus cells in DM+OVX group were detected. Furthermore the changes in the amount and character of secretion especially DM and DM+OVX groups and hypertrophic changes in the acinus epithelium in DM and/or the OVX groups were distinguished. Conclusion: The results revealed the effects of diabetes and ovariectomy on the cellular changes and pathophysiological processes of these changes in parotid glands. These findings may highlight to other pathophysiological processes of the role of the salivary glands associated with the pathogenesis due to diabetes and menopause. Additionally, correlated molecular mechanism of pathophysiological processes of DM and/or OVX on parotid gland, suggested further investigation.