Ultrastructure of gastric epithelium after exposure to mild environmental agents (sodium nitrate, saprol).

Environmental chemical agents usually affect the human organism in combination rather than alone. The objective of this study was to determine the effect on the gastric mucosa of the herbicide Saprol alone or in combination with the nitroso compound sodium nitrate. We examined the cells of the gastric endocrine system by electronmicroscopy, and recorded the ultrastructural nuclear and cytoplasmic changes. The herbicide Saprol did not significantly change the ultrastructure of the gastric epithelial cells. Marked changes were noted in nuclei, mitochondria, and secretory granules of the gastric endocrine cells after exposure to both Saprol and sodium nitrate. These changes were significantly more severe after the combined exposure than after sodium nitrate exposure alone. The most affected were the vasointestinal polypeptide-producing D1 cells.