zoba hassan

Abstract: Background: Nutrition is an integral component of oral health. There is a continuous synergy between nutrition and the integrity of the oral cavity in health and disease. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) on the integrity of rat gingival tissue. Material and methods:Twenty adult male albino rats (250±10 g) were divided equally into two groups, control and AHCC groups. AHCC was administered orally by oesophageal tube at a concentration of 1g AHCC/ kg of body weight/ day in distilled water. The rats were sacrificed after three months; the gingival specimens were dissected out and prepared for light and electron microscopic examinations.Results: AHCC improved the gingival integrity. It produced normal histological features of the surface epithelium with mild acanthosis, mild hyperkeratosis. Lamina propria demonstrated more condensed collagen fibers, increased number of fibroblasts and clusters of lymphocytes and macrophage. Several ultrastructural changes were observed, some of which suggested that AHCC treatment resulted in the formation of more efficient permeability barrier in the gingival area. Keratin filaments were appeared in the stratum basal, as the keratinocytes migrate apically; tonofilaments in the cell continue to accumulate and increased in number. In the strata spinosum and granulosum numerous membrane –coating and keratohyalin granules were synthesized. Membrane- coating granules were fused with the cell membrane and increased epithelial barrier function. The keratohyaline granules released their content to the cytoplasm making the tonofilaments to aggregate into tonofibrils. In the stratum corneum the keratin fibrils (tonofibrils) completely replace the cytoplasmic contents of the cell. Conclusion: AHCC supplemented to the rats may be increase the integrity of the gingiva epithelial cells through regulating the keratinization, tonofilaments, keratohyalin and membrane- coating granules formation.