title: Immunohistochemical profile of integrins in enlarged dental follicles and dentigerous cysts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The morphological distinction between incipient dentigerous cyst (IDC) and enlarged pericoronal dental follicle (EDF) remains one of the most controversial questions in the literature. The objective of this study was to analyze the immunohistochemistry expression of alfa(2)beta(1), alfa(3)beta(1), and alfa(5)beta(1) in 23 cases of EDFs and 21 cases of IDCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All integrins were immunopositive in the cases studied. A significant difference was detected regarding alfa(2)beta(1) integrin (P < .0001) in which a higher expression was present in IDCs. Moreover, statistical difference was also found between basal and suprabasal cell layer in cystic epithelium (P < .0034). The alfa(3)beta(1) integrin expression showed significant difference (P < .013) between EDF and IDC with a tendency of more pronounced staining in IDC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results corroborate the possibility of histopathological distinction between EDF and IDC in which squamous metaplasia of reduced enamel epithelium to stratified epithelium would be the first event of cystic transformation.
authors.affiliation: State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Caicó, Brazil. gruiga@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gustavo Pina
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.forename: Ericka Janine Dantas
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.forename: Ruthinéia Diógenes Alves Uchoa
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Lins
authors.forename: Lélia Batista
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Roseana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Almeida Freitas
authors.forename: Lélia Maria Guedes
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Queiroz
mesh_terms: D003795:Dental Sac / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003803:Dentigerous Cyst / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis*; D011859:Radiography; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins