[Injury and reparative regeneration of the oral mucosal epithelium after cytostatic drugs administration (tissue, cell and molecular mechanisms)].

This paper presents the systematized summary of current literature data and the authors' own findings on the regularities of human and animal surface oral mucosal epithelium (OME) injury caused by cytostatic drugs (CSD) administration, and on the ways of its regeneration after the cytostatic chemotherapy (CSCT) discontinuation. Tissue, cell and molecular mechanisms of CSCT effects on OME, are described. The direct effects of CSD included the epithelial layer attenuation with the derangement of its architecture, epitheliocyte proliferation suppression, apoptosis activation, and differentiation disturbances (involving the broad spectrum of cytological, cytochemical, ultrastructural and molecular-biological changes). In severe cases, these processes resulted in the loss of the epithelial layer integrity with the development of ulceration. Complete epithelial regeneration requires a long period after the CSCT discontinuation. Indirect effects of CSD on OME are associated with the microbial invasion and the diffusion of microbial vital activity products into the epithelium with concurrent leukopenia, immunosuppression and decreased salivary secretion.