title: Evaluation of cell proliferation rate in non-dysplastic leukoplakias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analyze whether the most frequent cases of non-dysplastic leukoplakias, hyperkeratosis (H), acanthosis (A), and hyperkeratosis with acanthosis (HA) have similar cell proliferation rates and to compare them with epithelial dysplastic (ED) leukoplakias and normal oral epithelium (NOE).
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 10 cases of normal oral epithelium, 10 cases of hyperkeratosis, 10 cases of acanthosis, 10 cases of hyperkeratosis with acanthosis and 10 cases of epithelial dysplasia. The mean number of AgNORs per nucleus (mAgNOR) and the mean percentage of cells with 1, 2, 3 and 4 or more AgNORs per nucleus (pAgNOR) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of mAgNOR showed differences between disorders in the evaluation of the basal layer, of the parabasal layer, and in the overall evaluation. mAgNOR and pAgNOR=2 increased progressively from normal oral epithelium to hyperkeratosis with acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and epithelial dysplasia (p<0.05). Cell proliferation rate was different between different subtypes of non-dysplastic leukoplakias and this group presented a higher proliferative behavior when compared to normal oral epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be suggested that non-dysplastic leukoplakias had different characteristics regarding cell proliferation rates and sometimes showed a proliferative behavior similar to that found in epithelial dysplasia. More studies should be conduced to increase knowledge about the biological profile of non-dysplastic leukoplakias, especially as it pertains to acanthosis.
authors.affiliation: Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre-RS-Brazil.
authors.forename: Laura-de Campos
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
authors.forename: Vinicius-Coelho
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Carrard
authors.forename: Isabel-da Silva
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Lauxen
authors.forename: Onofre-Francisco
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: de Quadros
authors.forename: Anna-Cecília-Moraes
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Manoel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sant' Ana-Filho
mesh_terms: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; C051963:nucleolar organizer region associated proteins