title: Immunohistochemical evaluation of mast cells and angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Angiogenesis is a complex event mediated by angiogenic factors released from cancer cells and immune cells. It has been reported to be associated with progression, aggressiveness and metastases of various malignant tumors including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Similarly, mast cells have also been reported to play a role in tumor progression and metastases by promoting angiogenesis. The present study aims at comparison of microvascular density (MVD) and mast cell density (MCD) in normal oral mucosa (NM) and among various grades of OSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  MVD was assessed immunohistochemically using anti-Factor VIII related von Willebrand factor, and MCD using anti-mast cell tryptase in a study sample of 30 cases of OSCC and 10 cases of clinically normal oral mucosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mast cells in normal oral mucosa and oral squamous cell carcinoma strongly expressed mast cell tryptase. The density of mast cells and micro vessels were significantly higher in OSCC compared to normal oral mucosa. The MCD and MVD were higher in moderately differentiated OSCC than in well differentiated OSCC ( P > 0.05) and normal oral mucosa ( P < 0.05). Pearson's correlation revealed a positive correlation between MCD and MVD ( r=0.33; P=0.077).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that mast cells may play a role in up regulation of tumor angiogenesis in OSCC probably through mast cell tryptase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Bhushan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sriram
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Saraswathi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sivapathasundharam
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D053802:Tryptases / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D053802:Tryptases