title: Clonal nature of odontogenic tumours.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although clonal origin is an essential step in the comprehension of neoplasias, there have been no studies to examine whether odontogenic tumours are derived from a single somatic progenitor cell. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clonal origin of odontogenic tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh samples of seven ameloblastomas, two odontogenic mixomas, two adenomatoid odontogenic tumour, one calcifying odontogenic cyst, one calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumour (CEOT) and six odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) of female patients were included in this study. After DNA extraction, the HUMARA gene polymorphism assay was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the informative odontogenic lesions studied (12 out of 16) showed a monoclonal pattern. Among the polyclonal cases, two were OKC, one CEOT and one odontogenic mixoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that most odontogenic tumours are monoclonal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Cavaliéri
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Carla da Silveira
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Wagner Henriques
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Júlio César Tanos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Lacerda
authors.forename: Ricardo Santiago
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gomez
mesh_terms: D002999:Clone Cells; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009808:Odontogenic Tumors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm