Unilateral nasal obstruction induces degeneration of fungiform and circumvallate papillae in rats.

Background: In clinical orthodontic treatment, chronic respiratory disturbance or mouth breathing has been concerned symptoms and screening criteria. In this study, to analyze the relation between nasal obstruction and taste sensing, a unilateral nasal obstruction model was performed to investigate the taste papillae and taste buds in rats.
Methods: Fourteen 6-day-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control and experimental groups (n = 7 each). The experimental group underwent unilateral nasal obstruction at 8 days of age. The rats were euthanized at 9-week-old. The morphology of the circumvallate papillae and taste buds were identified by immunohistochemical methods. The fungiform papillae were visualized with 1% methylene blue and sectioned for taste bud observation.
Results: Some defects in the gustatory epithelium were observed after unilateral nasal obstruction. Rats in the experimental group had significantly fewer fungiform papillae and smaller volumes of taste bud. In circumvallate papillae, smaller total taste bud area was found in experiment group.
Conclusion: Findings in the present study suggest that nasal obstruction might have significant influences on the gustatory function via morphologic change in the taste papillae and taste buds in tongue area.
(Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.)