Abstract
Objective The aim of this study is to analyze the tongue epithelial response to cigarette smoke
exposure on a number of macrophages, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and matrix metalloproteinase
9 (MMP-9) expression to determine the risk factor of oral cancer development.
Materials and Methods Thirty Rattus norvegicus will be exposed to two kinds of cigarette smoke by a smoking pump for 4 and 8 weeks.
The tongues were collected to analyze the number of macrophages, lymphocytes, and
plasma cells with hematoxylin-eosin. The MMP-9 expression was similarly analyzed with
immunohistochemical staining and then compared with the control group.
Results The number of macrophages, lymphocytes, and MMP-9 expression was higher in the 8-week
cigarette smoke exposure compared to the 4-week cigarette smoke exposure and the control
group (p < 0.000). The number of plasma cell did not differ in the 8-week cigarette smoke
exposure from that of the control group (p > 0.05). The number of plasma cells in the tongue tissue during the 4-week cigarette
smoke exposure was not determined.
Conclusion Cigarette smoke exposure induces the risk of oral cancer development as a result
of an increase in the number of macrophages, lymphocytes, and MMP-9 expression in
the tongue epithelial.
Keywords
cigarette smoke - lymphocytes - macrophages - MMP-9 expression - tongue
