Integrin expression in oral hairy leukoplakia and normal tongue epithelium.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the expression of integrins in the epithelium of oral hairy leukoplakia (HL) and compare to that of normal lateral tongue epithelium.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry to identify integrins (alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 5, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1) was performed, using a standard biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase technique on five clinically and histologically confirmed frozen biopsy specimens of HL and five normal lateral tongue control tissues.


RESULTS
Expression of integrins alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1 was seen both in HL epithelium and in normal control tissue. alpha 5 expression was not seen in HL or in control tissue epithelium. alpha 2 and alpha 3 were expressed mainly in the basal and suprabasal layers; alpha 6 expression was most intense on the basal surface of the basal cells, alpha v was expressed in the basal and suprabasal layers with more expression seen in the higher differentiated cell layers than the other integrins. beta 1 expression was seen in the basal and suprabasal layers only. No apparent difference between HL and normal oral mucosa was noted in the staining pattern of the various integrins.


CONCLUSIONS
Integrins alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1 are expressed in HL and the expression pattern is not different from that of normal oral mucosa. alpha 5 is not expressed in HL or in normal oral epithelium.
Department of Stomatology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
N
N
Chainani-Wu
L A
LA
Lagenaur
M E
ME
Peñaranda
J M
JM
Palefsky
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D039121:Integrin alpha6beta1; D039564:Integrin alphaV; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017469:Receptors, Fibronectin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017474:Receptors, Laminin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D014059:Tongue / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D004396:Coloring Agents; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D039121:Integrin alpha6beta1; D039564:Integrin alphaV; D019012:Integrin beta1; D016023:Integrins; D017469:Receptors, Fibronectin; D017474:Receptors, Laminin