Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the expression, distribution and comparison of tenascin, a glycoprotein of the extracellular matrix in ameloblastoma and ameloblastic fibroma, both odontogenic neoplasms with diverse biological behavior and to understand the proliferative activity by using the morphometric analysis. METHODS: Paraffin embedded tissue from 25 cases of odontogenic tumors i.e., ameloblastoma (n = 15) and ameloblastic fibroma (n = 10) were used. The expression of tenascin was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Morphometric analysis of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) from ameloblastoma and ameloblastic fibroma was carried out by silver staining. RESULTS: A heterogeneous expression of tenascin was found in ameloblastoma which was mainly localized at the epithelialmesenchymal interface and a patchy distribution was observed in the stroma (80%), while strong positivity was observed in the stroma and at the basement membrane zone of ameloblastic fibroma (100%). argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) revealed higher mean counts in ameloblastoma (3.093 ± 0.902) when compared with those of ameloblastic fibroma (1.553 ± 0.250). Ameloblastoma presented more than two NORs (two to five) per nucleus in majority of the cells, while ameloblastic fibroma exhibited only one NORs per nucleus. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of tenascin in these neoplasms suggest that it could play a role in epithelialmesenchymal interaction, while AgNORs reveal that ameloblastomas are more aggressive when compared with ameloblastic fibromas.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 223-229 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 01-03-2010 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Cancer Research
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Oral Surgery
- Periodontics