DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2018.v05i06.001

Pages: 293-300

Abstract: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of different bedding materials such as perlite, corncob, and wood shavings on skin of rats using histopathological examination, the expression of the Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) immunohistochemically, and evaluating the apoptosis with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated (TdT) dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. In this study, 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats, randomly allocated into three groups consisting of eight animals in each cage, and wood shavings, perlite, andas bedding materials were used. The bedding material in each cage was changed twice a week during a period of 30 days. At the end of the experiment, all rats were sacrificed, and the skin samples taken from foot, abdomen, neck regions of all animals were collected for histopathological, immunohistochemical, and apoptotic evaluation. When skin tissues of all the groups were examined histopathologically, allergic contact dermatitis was observed. Dermatitis was the more severe in perlite group as compared with other groups. All group rats showed immunopositivity for IL-1β and TNF-α expressions in the, epidermal, inflammatory cells, and epithelial cells of the skin glands. Apoptosis was also observed in these cells. These data suggested that perlite bedding material use in labaratory animals housing should be limited, wood shavings and corncob use as bedding materials should be encouraged especially in rat hausing.