title: Presence of CD3-positive T-cells in oral premalignant leukoplakia indicates prevention of cancer transformation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Leukoplakias (LPLs) are lesions in the oral mucosa that have a potential to transform into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). As the degree of immunosurveillance may be important for this transformation to occur, the aim of this study was to determine the presence of immune cells in LPLs with dysplasia in relation to later development of OSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies from 16 patients with clinical diagnosis of LPL and histopathological diagnosis of hyperkeratosis with dysplasia were immunostained with antibodies to detect CD3(+) T cells, CD1a(+) LCs, Ki-67(+) and p53-expressing cells. Patients were divided into two groups: LPL with dysplasia that transformed into OSCC (LPL-dys) and that which did not (LPL-ca).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quantitative analyses showed significantly lower numbers of CD3(+) T-cells in LPL-ca than in LPL-dys. No significant differences were detected when comparing LPL-dys and LPL-ca regarding CD1a(+), p53(+) and Ki-67(+) cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of CD3-expressing T-cells may be important for preventing malignant transformation of LPL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden jenny.ohman@odontologi.gu.se.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Öhman
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rakeeba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mowjood
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Institute of Odontology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kjeller
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jontell
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasseus
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex
keywords: Premalignant leukoplakia; biomolecular markers; immunosurveillance; oral cancer