Depletion of salivary gland epidermal growth factor by sialodacryoadenitis virus infection in the Wistar rat

Male and female Wistar rats 2 to 15 months of age were inoculated intranasally with sialoda-cryoadenitis (SDA) virus and killed at 8 to 21 days post-inoculation (PI). Submandibular glands were evaluated by light and electron microscopy, and levels of salivary gland epidermal growth factor (EGF) were quantitated by cytochemistry and competitive radioreceptor assay. Apical granules in the epithelial cells of the granular convoluted tubules (GCT) were selectively depleted during the acute and convalescent stages of the disease. In addition, levels of immunoreactive EGF were reduced in affected submandibular glands, especially at 8 to 14 days PI with SDA virus, but some evidence of EGF depletion was seen at up to 3 weeks PI. A corresponding transient depletion of EGF receptor reactive salivary EGF was seen between 1 and 3 weeks after experimental SDA infection. These studies suggest that a clinical (or subclinical) infection with SDA virus could have significant effects on experimental studies on EGF-dependent functions, including reproductive physiology and carcinogenesis.