Ultrastructural morphometry of collagen from lamina propria during experimental oral carcinogenesis and chronic inflammation.

Stereological point-counting methods were used to determine the volumetric alterations in collagen from the lamina propria immediately beneath the epithelial-connective tissue junction in hamster check-pouch mucosa treated with the chemical carcinogen DMBA. In addition, a non-neoplastic inflammatory control was evaluated in which a delayed hypersensitivity reaction was induced by the contact-sensitising agent DNCB. DMBA-treated tissues were assigned to histopathologically defined hyperplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma stages. The volume densities of collagen present in unit volume of extracellular lamina propria were found to decrease progressively and significantly in DMBA-treated tissues when compared with values obtained from normal untreated mucosa. Values from the inflammatory control were comparable with those from the dysplasia stage of carcinogenesis. The mechanisms responsible for these decreases in collagen volume density are unknown, but contributory factors might include collagen destruction by enzymes originating in either the epithelium or the cells of the inflammatory infiltrate, dilution of collagen produced by inflammatory oedema or alterations in the synthetic capabilities of fibroblasts.