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. 2017 May-Aug;21(2):229-238.
doi: 10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_111_15.

Mast cells and angiogenesis in malignant and premalignant oral lesions: An immunohistochemical study

Daisy Laishram  1 , Kavita Rao  1 , H S Uma Devi  1 , N S Priya  1 , T Smitha  1 , H S Sheethal  1
Affiliations

Mast cells and angiogenesis in malignant and premalignant oral lesions: An immunohistochemical study

Daisy Laishram et al. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2017 May-Aug.

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: Angiogenesis is a complex event facilitated by angiogenic factors released from neoplastic and host immune cells. Among host immune cells, mast cells (MCs) may have greater significance in tumor progression through angiogenesis. The objectives of the study were to evaluate and correlate mast cell density (MCD) and microvessel density (MVD) in normal gingival tissue, leukoplakia with and without dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cases.

Materials and methods: Among eighty selected cases, twenty were of normal gingiva, twenty each of leukoplakia without and with dysplasia and twenty of OSCC. The slides were stained with CD34 and counterstained with 0.1% toluidine blue, followed by quantification of MCD and MVD per high-power field (×40) using Image-Pro Express software.

Statistical analysis: Chi-square test and correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.

Observation and results: A statistically significant difference in the values of MVD and MCD between normal gingival tissue, leukoplakia with and without dysplasia and OSCC (P = 0.000) was observed. MVD and MCD showed a positive correlation between the study groups.

Conclusion: MVD and MCD increased significantly in cases of OSCC as compared to leukoplakia with and without dysplasia and normal gingival tissue. It was concluded that MCs may play a significant role in angiogenesis by releasing pro-angiogenic and angiogenic factors which may in turn favor the progression of premalignant lesion to a malignant one.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; CD34; mast cell density; mast cells; microvessel density; toluidine blue.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of microvessel density between the study groups
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of mast cell density between the study groups
Figure 3
Figure 3
Photomicrograph of normal gingival tissue (red arrow - microvessel, yellow arrow - mast cell)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Photomicrograph of leukoplakia without dysplasia (red arrow - microvessel, yellow arrow - mast cell)
Figure 5
Figure 5
Photomicrograph of leukoplakia with dysplasia (red arrow - microvessel, yellow arrow - mast cell)
Figure 6
Figure 6
Photomicrograph of oral squamous cell carcinoma (red arrow - microvessel, yellow arrow - mast cell)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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