A Comparative Study of Cathepsin D Expression in Peripheral and Central Giant Cell Granuloma of the Jaws by Immunohistochemistry Technique.
BACKGROUND
Peripheral and central giant cell granuloma are two common benign lesions of the oral cavity. In spite of histopathological similarities, they have different clinical behaviors. Cathepsin D is a lysosomal enzyme which has different functions on the basis of protein and applied peptide cleavage.


OBJECTIVE
This research aimed to evaluate and compare the expression level of Cathepsin D in these two lesions to find the reasons for the differences in clinical and biologic characteristics.


METHODS
The expression of Cathepsin D was investigated by using the immunohistochemistry method in 20 samples of peripheral giant cell granuloma and 20 samples of central giant cell granuloma. The percentage of stained giant cells (labeling index), the intensity of staining of giant cells, and staining-intensity-distribution in both groups were calculated and compared.


RESULTS
The labeling indices of Cathepsin D in peripheral giant cell granuloma and central giant cell granuloma were 95.9±4.03 and 95.6±2.34, respectively. There was no significant difference in the percentages of stained giant cells between the two groups (p= 0.586). The intensity of staining of giant cells in central giant cell granuloma was stronger than that of peripheral giant cell granuloma (p> 0.001). Staining- intensity- distribution of giant cells in central giant cell granuloma was significantly greater than that of the peripheral type of lesion (p= 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The higher expression level of Cathepsin D in central giant cell granuloma compared to peripheral type of lesion can explain more aggressive behavior of central giant cell granuloma.
Dental Research Center, Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dental School, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Massoumeh
M
Zargaran
Modeling of Noncommunicable Disease Research Center, Dept. of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Abbas
A
Moghimbeigi
Dept. of Pathology, AL Zahra Medical Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Noushin
N
Afsharmoghadam
Pathology Technologist, Dept. of Pathology, AL Zahra Medical Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mohsen
M
Nasr Isfahani
Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dental School, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
Atefeh
A
Hashemi
Cathepsin D; Giant Cell Granuloma; Immunohistochemistry; Jaw