The immunoprofile of odontogenic keratocyst (keratocystic odontogenic tumor) that includes expression of PTCH, SMO, GLI-1 and bcl-2 is similar to ameloblastoma but different from odontogenic cysts

• Published in: Journal of oral pathology & medicine 2009-08, Vol.38 (7), p.597-604
• Main Authors: Vered, M., Peleg, O., Taicher, S., Buchner, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ameloblastoma - immunology; Ameloblastoma - metabolism; Ameloblastoma - pathology; Analysis of Variance; Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome - immunology; Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome - metabolism; Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome - pathology; bcl-2; Case-Control Studies; Dentistry; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - physiology; GLI-1; Hedgehog Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Jaw Diseases - immunology; Jaw Diseases - metabolism; Jaw Diseases - pathology; Jaw Neoplasms - classification; Jaw Neoplasms - immunology; Jaw Neoplasms - metabolism; Jaw Neoplasms - pathology; nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome; Odontogenic Cysts - immunology; Odontogenic Cysts - metabolism; Odontogenic Cysts - pathology; odontogenic keratocyst; Patched Receptors; Patched-1 Receptor; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; PTCH; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - genetics; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - metabolism; Reference Values; Second Messenger Systems - physiology; Signal Transduction - physiology; Smoothened; Smoothened Receptor; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
• ISSN: 0904-2512; 1600-0714
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2009.00778.x

Background:  The aggressive biological behavior of odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs), unlike that of other odontogenic cysts, has argued for its recent re‐classification as a neoplasm, ‘keratocystic odontogenic tumor’. Identification of mutations in the PTCH gene in some of the OKCs that were expected to produce truncated proteins, resulting in loss of control of the cell cycle, provided additional support for OKCs having a neoplastic nature. Methods:  We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of the sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway‐related proteins, PTCH, smoothened (SMO) and GLI‐1, and of the SHH–induced bcl‐2 oncoprotein in a series of primary OKC (pOKC), recurrent OKC (rOKC) and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome‐associated OKCs (NBCCS‐OKCs), and compared them to solid ameloblastomas (SAMs), unicystic ameloblastomas (UAMs), ‘orthokeratinized’ OKCs (oOKCs), dentigerous cysts (DCs) and radicular cysts (RCs). Results:  All studied lesions expressed the SHH pathway‐related proteins in a similar pattern. The expression of bcl‐2 in OKCs (pOKCs and NBCCS‐OKCs) and SAMs was significantly higher than in oOKCs, DCs and RCs (P