Ultrastructural evaluation of gingival glycosaminoglycans in ovariectomized rats: effects of steroid hormone therapy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS To evaluate the behavior of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in rat gingiva and the effects of lack of sexual steroids and the hormonal therapy with estrogen and dexamethasone (DEX). METHODS 40 female rats were divided into four groups: GI: animals in permanent estrus; GII: ovariectomized (OVX) animals + vehicle; GIII: OVX animals treated with 17beta-estradiol benzoate (10 microg/kg), and GIV: OVX animals treated with 17beta-estradiol benzoate (10 microg/kg) + DEX (3 mg/kg). After treatment, the gingiva was removed and its GAGs content was evaluated by electronic microscopy after stained by cuprolinic blue technique. RESULTS The electron-microscopic data showed that low values of chondroitin sulfate were found in castrated animals (35.05 +/- 3.58%) compared to other groups (GI: 41.17 +/- 1.13; GIII: 48.04 +/- 2.60; GIV: 49.09 +/- 2.68%). In contrast, the amount of dermatan sulfate in GII (57.70 +/- 2.50%) was higher than in the other groups (GI: 46.12 +/- 1.30; GIII: 42.65 +/- 2.98; GIV: 42.68 +/- 5.43%). CONCLUSIONS GAGs may be influenced by estradiol, and DEX did not seem to antagonize the role of estradiol in the GAGs of gingiva. The histotypical structure of gingiva is related to the amount of chondroitin sulfate. Consequently, the estrogen therapy may be important for gingival health.