Maternal Lead Exposure Induces Glandular Alterations in the Salivary Glands of Rat Male Offspring

Lead (Pb) is a widely distributed environmental pollutant that is highly noxious due to its toxicokinetic characteristics. Pb exposure can damage vital organ systems, including the central nervous and stomatognathic systems. As salivary glands play an important role in oral homeostasis, this study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal Pb exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the salivary glands of rat male offspring. Six 90-day-old pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups of three animals each: a control group and a lead acetate group (treated with 50 mg/kg lead acetate for 21 days during pregnancy and 21 days during lactation). After the exposure period, the submandibular and parotid glands of the male offspring were collected for biochemical, morphometric, and histochemical analyses, and the findings were analyzed using the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Maternal Pb exposure significantly decreased the antioxidant capacity (52%, p < 0.001) and increased lipid peroxidation (105%, p < 0.001) and nitrite levels (106%, p < 0.01) in both parotid and submandibular glands. Morphological analysis of the parotid gland showed an increase in the total stromal area and a decrease in the acinar area compared to the control group, whereas in the submandibular gland, there was an increase in the stromal, acinar, and duct areas in the Pb-exposed group. The histochemical analysis revealed no difference in the average collagen area between the groups. The alterations found may compromise glandular development and salivary function, indicating that early-life Pb exposure poses long-term risks to oral homeostasis.