Immunohistochemical profile of integrins in enlarged dental follicles and dentigerous cysts.
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.
Godoy
Gustavo Pina
GP
State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Caicó, Brazil. gruiga@hotmail.com
da Silveira
Ericka Janine Dantas
EJ
Lins
Ruthinéia Diógenes Alves Uchoa
RD
de Souza
Lélia Batista
LB
de Almeida Freitas
Roseana
R
Queiroz
Lélia Maria Guedes
LM
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
D016023:Integrins