The role of exogenous epidermal growth factor on Ki-67 proliferation marker expression in the submandibular salivary gland of albino rats receiving doxorubicin.

This study was conducted to evaluate the role of exogenous epidermal growth factor (EGF) injection on the Ki-67 immuno-expression in submandibular salivary gland tissue of rats receiving doxorubicin (DXR). A total of 21 two-month-old male albino rats, of 200 g body weight, were divided into three groups: control group; DXR group, the rats received 20 mg/kg body weight DXR as a single intra peritoneal injection; DXR+EGF group, the rats received the same dose of DXR and on the next day they were injected intraperitoneally with 10 µg/kg body weight of EGF daily for one week. Histological sections and immunohistochemical expression of Ki67 sections were examined using a ZEISS Primo Star light microscopy and images taken using Tucsen IS 1000 10.0MP Camera. Ki-67 expression was significantly increased in submandibular salivary glands of rats after DXR injection. However, Ki-67 expression in the glandular tissue was restored to normal levels after EGF injection. EGF preserved glandular architecture after DXR injection and maintained Ki-67 immune-expression within the glandular tissue near to the normal level.