[Sialadenosis of the parotid gland after chronic nicotine use]

The effect of chronic nicotine consumption on the morphology of the rat parotid gland was investigated. After nicotine-loading for 90 days with an average serum nicotine concentration of 78 +/- 10 ng/ml a significant increase of acinar cell volume was observed. The acinar cells contained an increased number of enlarged light, immature secretory granules. These findings were confirmed by morphometric analysis. Further an increase of the granular endoplasmatic reticulum, an enlargement of the Golgi complexes and an oedematous swelling of intraglandular autonomous nerves were found. Similar findings have been observed in the parotid gland of animals and also of humans chronically treated with the beta-adrenergic drugs aludrin and isoproterenol, and have been termed "sialadenosis". It seems likely that the observed morphological alterations are caused by a stimulation of glandular beta-adrenoceptors via a nicotine-induced release of catecholamines from the adrenals.