title: Proliferative activity in periapical lesions.
abstract: The identification of proliferative activity in periapical lesions may be useful in discovering the biological behaviour of different cell types. Proliferant cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Ki67, CD3 and p53 have been used for the evaluation of the proliferative ability of many lesions. In this study, 16 periapical granulomas and 8 radicular cysts were analysed. A semi-quantitative method was used for evaluation of each lesion and antigen. According to the intensity of staining the following scores were assigned: 0 = no reactivity; 1 = reactivity above background; 2 = moderate reactivity; 3 = strong reactivity. Ki67 positive cells were present in all the periapical lesions. The antibody Ki67 was positive in pathological keratinic cells, while it was only slightly positive in normal epithelial cells. PCNA positive cells were present in 22 of the 24 cases examined. CD3 reactivity was also highly positive in periapical lesions. The reaction of oncoprotein p53 in periapical lesions was negative. The expression of the positive reaction of Ki67 and PCNA in periapical lesions is therefore an indicator of cell proliferation as a result of a chronic irritative stimulus.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Odontoiatria Conservatrice, Corso di Laurea in Odontoiatria e Protesi Dentaria, Catania University, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa Roberta
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Tripi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonaccorso
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rapisarda
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartoloni
mesh_terms: D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D010484:Periapical Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D004396:Coloring Agents; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53