DEVELOPMENT OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO-INDUCED ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS

This study examined clinical and inflammatory mediator parameters duri ng the development of snuff-induced mucosal lesions. Nineteen smokeles s tobacco (ST) users placed moist snuff at designated new placement si tes over either a 2- or 7-day period. By day 2, the predominant clinic al alteration was an erythematous reaction, and one-third of the subje cts demonstrated white striations in combination with erythema or ulce ration. By 7 days, 56% of the subjects displayed white striated lesion s. Tissue concentrations (pg/mg) of IL-1 beta were 4.6 +/- 1.6 at new placement sites as compared with 0.7 +/- 0.4 at control sites (P<0.05) . PGE(2) and IL-1 alpha concentrations also were significantly higher (P<0.05) at new placement sites as compared with control sites (9.4 +/ - 2.2 vs 4.1 +/- 0.7 and 6.2 +/- 1.3 vs 3.2 +/- 0.7, respectively). In view of the recognized role of PGE2 and IL-1 in immune and inflammato ry functions, these mediators may play a role in the pathogenesis of c linical alterations at ST placement sites.