Histopathologic changes induced by cellophane wrapping of the pancreas are unaffected by cigarette smoke exposure in hamsters

This study tests whether exposure to cigarette smoke alone or combined with cellophane wrapping of the pancreas increases the development of microscopic abnormalities in the pancreas of Syrian golden hamsters. Ninety hamsters were randomly divided into 4 groups. Thirty-five hamsters were exposed to 3 continuous hours of cigarette smoke daily for 3 months following celiotomy to cellophane wrap the gastric lobe of the pancreas (group 1). Thirty-two hamsters were not exposed to continuous cigarette smoke and had the wrap surgery alone (group 2). Twelve hamsters were exposed to cigarette smoke and had no surgery (group 3). Eleven hamsters had no exposure to cigarette smoke and no surgery (group 4). All of the hamsters were sacrificed after 3 months. The gastric (wrapped) and splenic (unwrapped) lobes of the pancreas were reviewed grossly and histologically. In all 4 groups, there were no gross abnormalities in either lobe of the pancreas. Histopathologic evaluation of the gastric lobes from group 1 showed that 13 of 35 lobes (37%) had pancreatitis (11 chronic, 1 acute, and 1 both). In group 2, 12 of 32 (38%) gastric lobes had pancreatitis (10 chronic, 2 acute). The incidence of pancreatitis in groups 1 and 2 was significantly higher than in groups 3 (0/12; p < 0.04) and 4 (0/11; p < 0.03), respectively. A significantly lower incidence of pancreatitis was found in the splenic lobes of all 4 groups when compared to gastric lobes in groups 1 and 2. Three of the 67 cellophane-wrapped glands had ductal hyperplasia. The effects of cellophane wrapping of the pancreas, both in the wrapped and unwrapped areas, induced changes of pancreatitis and hyperplasia that may be preneoplastic. Cigarette smoking, alone or combined with cellophane wrapping, did not cause these changes. Longer exposure to cigarette smoke may be needed to cause premalignant changes in the hamster pancreas.