Copper chelation reduces early collagen deposition and preserves saliva secretion in irradiated salivary glands.

ABSTRACT: Radiation therapy is a first-line treatment for head and neck cancer; however, it typically leads to hyposalivation stemming from fibrosis of the salivary gland. Current strategies to restore glandular function are dependent on the presence of residual functional salivary gland tissue, a condition commonly not met in patients with extensive fibrotic coverage of the salivary gland resulting from radiation therapy. Fibrosis is defined by the pathological accumulation of connective tissue (i.e., extracellular matrix) and excessive deposition of crosslinked (fibrillar) collagen that can impact a range of tissues and given that collagen crosslinking is necessary for fibrosis formation, inhibiting this process is a reasonable focus for developing anti-fibrotic therapies. Collagen crosslin

SUBMITTER: Nam K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10828693 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature