Effects of Acetaldehyde on Cell Regeneration and Differentiation of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Mucosa

Abstract

Acetaldehyde, administered orally to rats, can cause hyperplastic and hyperproliferative changes in epithelia of the upper gastrointestinal tract. This finding suggests that microbially produced acetaldehyde in saliva may explain the tumor-promoting effect of ethanol on these epithelia.