[Peripheral keratinizing ameloblastoma in a dwarf rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. dom.)]

Abstract

A 3.5-year-old, male, neutered dwarf rabbit was presented with a history of a fast-growing gingival mass at the maxilla. The neoplasm was surgically completely excised. Histopathologically, an expansively growing, multilobulated, partially cystic, peripheral, keratinizing ameloblastoma was diagnosed. The immunohistochemical phenotyping of the tumour cells resulted in cytoplasmic labelling with various pan-cytokeratin antibodies. The cytokeratins 5/6, 7, 10 and 14 were expressed variably. Cytokeratin 20 was not detected. Vimentin was expressed in the cytoplasm of mesenchymal cells of the tumour stroma. In addition, in the nuclei of approximately 10% of the tumour cells the protein of the tumour suppressor gene p53 was expressed while in approximately 5% the proliferation marker Ki67 was expressed. Odontogenic tumours should be considered as a differential diagnosis of oral masses in rabbits.

Keywords: Rabbit; cytokeratin; immunohistology; tooth; tumour.