Description
Although not all leukoplakias transform to carcinoma, oral leukoplakia is known as the most common oral potentially malignant disorder. To predict the clinical course of leukoplakia, the degree of epithelial dysplasia is usually determined. However, the classification of degrees of dysplasia does not reflect early changes at the molecular level. Determination of nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens in different oral leukoplakias can show early steps of malignant transformation.. In our study we analyzed 50 cases of oral leukopkakia and 20 samples of normal mucosa. Oral leukoplakias were classified as homogenous and non-homogenous (nodular, verrucous, erythroleukoplakia). Immunohistochemical visualization was performed on the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded oral leukoplakia and control tissue. CD44 and p27 proteins were assessed by a standard polymer-based visualization En-vision method by Dako Denmark. All graphical images and statistical analyses were performed using the GraphPadPrism 9.0 software (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA, USA) for MacOS.In healthy mucosa, CD44 expression was positive in the membranes with an average of five layers of epithelium. In the homogenous oral leukoplakia, membranous expression of glycoprotein was present in an average 17 layers. In non-homogenous oral leukoplakia there was not only membranous expression of CD44, but also occurred in cytoplasm of the affected epithelium (p<0.0001). In normal mucosa the p27 antigen was expressed only in epithelial cell nuclei of intermediate and superficial layers, but not in the basal cell layer. In verrucous and nodular leukoplakia was observed fewer p27 positive cells than in homogenous leukoplakia, however more than in erythroleukoplakia where intraplasmatic protein expression occured in small groups (p<0.05).
Our study proved the instability of p27 protein and its dual nature in non-homogenous leukoplakia and the pattern of CD44 expression in the cytoplasm of oral epithelium may be used as a predictive factor for potential transformation of non-homogenous leukoplakia into an early stage of cancer.
| Period | 29 Mar 2023 → 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|
| Event title | RSU International Research Conference 2023: Knowledge for Use in Practice |
| Event type | Conference |
| Organiser | Rīga Stradiņš University |
| Location | Riga, LatviaShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |