Are there structural alterations in the enamel organ of offspring of rats with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus?

Abstract

Enamel hypoplasia is the most common developmental defect of human teeth that may be seen in deciduous teeth of babies born to diabetic women. In the present experimental study, we analyzed the enamel organ of the mandibular incisors of the offspring of rats with alloxan-induced diabetes. By light microscopy, no alterations could be found in the enamel organ of rats born to diabetic mothers compared to normal ones, except in one case. In contrast, significant differences were detected with computer-aided morphometry. In the rats born to treated and untreated diabetic mothers, there was thinning of the enamel matrix and of the ameloblasts and the nuclear area of the latter was smaller. In the rats born to treated diabetic mothers, the nuclei of the ameloblasts were more elliptical and there was enlargement of the interstitial area of the stellate reticulum. These results indicate that there are structural defects in the enamel organ of rats born to mothers with alloxan-induced diabetes which could induce the enamel hypoplasia observed by scanning electron microscopy and which may reflect the metabolic alterations seen in this condition. Future studies are needed to determine whether these effects are transitory or permanent.

Prevalence of Enamel Hypoplasia and Enamel Hypocalcification in a Group of Egyptian Children

“…Meanwhile other results showed the opposite, which reported a decrease in the secretion of enamel matrix forming a thinner enamel layer in diabetes (43,41) Regarding Rheumatic fever patients, there was no statistically significant association between presence of disease and enamel defects in all groups which is similar to the results obtained by certain studies (44)(45)(46) . On the other hand results from other studies (47)(48)(49) showed higher prevalence.…”

The impact of type 1 diabetes on the development of the craniofacial mineralised tissues (bones and teeth): literature review

“…The morphometric analysis revealed thinner enamel matrix in the experimental groups making a thinner layer of enamel, the secretory ameloblasts of pups from diabetic dams were shorter than those of the control group. Additionally the ameloblast nuclei were smaller in pups from diabetic dams and more elongated in pups from insulin-treated diabetic dams than in the other animals studied and the area of the interstitium of the star-shaped reticulum was larger in pups from insulin-treated dams than in the other animals [24].…”

“…The second stage was morphometric analysis of the enamel matrix formed and of the enamel organ in the final phase of the secretion stage. The authors evaluated following parameters: thickness of the enamel matrix, ameloblast height, area of the ameloblast nucleus, ratio of the largest and smallest diameters of the ameloblast nucleus, thickening of the intermediate layer, thickness of the stellate reticulum, and other [24]. In the presented study, light microscopy revealed no significant changes in the appearance of enamel organ in the pups of diabetic dams, except for a single animal.…”

“…Data from the literature confirm the occurrence of degenerative lesions in the enamel of the incisors of the offspring of rats with induced experimental diabetes [19,24]. According to Silva-Sousa et al [25], the severity of hypoplasia identified in the studies was variable and correlated positively with maternal blood glucose level.…”

“…However, Silva-Sousa et al [24] have found that the defects generated on enamel organ are responsible for the formation of hypoplastic enamel in pups of diabetic dams in which diabetes was induced by the administration of alloxan. In order to investigate the mechanism of developmental changes of enamel, the research was conducted in two stages.…”