An immunohistochemical study of the distribution of p 16 protein in oral mucosa in smokers, non-smokers and in frictional keratosis.
OBJECTIVE
Our study aimed to characterize alteration in the immunohistochemical p16 expression in normal oral mucosa and non-neoplastic hyperproliferative disorders (i.e. frictional keratosis and mucosa from smokers).


METHODS
43 specimen of oral mucosa were examined using immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
In normal mucosa, there was strong positive nuclear staining in a proportion of fibroblasts and endothelial cells in the lamina propria, with variable expression in nuclei of the epithelial layer. However, when the patient's tobacco smoking was examined, p16 nuclear staining in oral epithelium was seen in 4/20 (20%) of smokers and 0/23 (0%) of non-smokers. In every case of frictional keratosis (n=11), there was strong nuclear staining of some basal and supra-basal cells. In addition, there was strong nuclear staining of parakeratinizing squamous in a band above the spinous layer. In clinically normal oral epithelium of smokers and in frictional keratosis, basal and supra-basal cells expressed strong p16 nuclear staining which was absent in the control tissue examined.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that p16 expression may be involved in the long-term loss of proliferation in cell senescence of oral mucosa.
Tarakji
Bassel
B
Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria. denpol@yahoo.co.uk
Kujan
Omar
O
Nassani
Mohammad Z
MZ
D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
C000614131:CDKN2A protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins