Gamma radiation induced atrophic gastritis in mice

Radiation biology has acquired greater relevance and significance in addressing the health issues. Gastric diseases has become one of the common gastrointestinal disorders that involves the entire mucosal thickness and can penetrate the muscular mucosa. Gastric disorders occurs as a result of imbalance between aggressive factors of acid and pepsin and maintenance of gastric integrity through endogenous factors. The objective of the present study was to evaluate radiation induced changes in the stomach of Swiss Albino male mice. Animals were divided into two groups: Group I containing normal mice served as control for each experimental stage, mice of Group II were irradiated with 5Gy γ –rays. 24 hours after irradiation mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation on days 10, 20 and 30. Stomach was cut into thin section and subjected to hematoxylin eosin staining. Stomach of normal mice was healthy. Gastric mucosa of normal mice was thick, the epithelium was complete and there was no sign of damage. The irradiated group mice mucosa showed decrease in thickness with damaged areas. Loss of glandular regions were also seen. The irradiated group mice mucosa showed decrease in thickness with damaged areas while the parietal cell having lesser volume, polygonal form, wrinkled arrangement with large intracellular spaces were observed. Thus, our finding suggested that radiation induced stress causes imbalance in defence mechanisms and lead to the atrophic gastritis with mucosal injury.