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. 2023 Nov-Dec;34(6):110-120.
doi: 10.1590/0103-6440202305452.

Higher immunoexpression of CK14 from the Wnt-1/β-catenin pathway in the development of odontomas

Glória Maria de França  1 , Leonardo Magalhães Carlan  1 , Hévila de Figueiredo Pires  1 , Cláudia Nunes de Oliveira  1 , Pedro Paulo de Andrade Santos  1 , Hébel Cavalcanti Galvão  1
Affiliations

Higher immunoexpression of CK14 from the Wnt-1/β-catenin pathway in the development of odontomas

Glória Maria de França et al. Braz Dent J. 2023 Nov-Dec.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Tooth development depends on a series of reciprocal signaling interactions between the oral epithelium and ectomesenchyme. This study aimed to investigate the role of CK14, a protein involved in Wnt-1/β-catenin signaling, in odontogenesis and the development of odontomas. This cross-sectional, retrospective, immunohistochemical study analyzed 30 compound odontomas, 30 complex odontomas, and 17 tooth germs. Higher immunoexpression of CK14 was observed in odontogenic epithelial cells of tooth germs (p < 0.001) and odontogenic epithelial cells of odontomas (p < 0.001). There was higher immunoexpression of Wnt-1 and β-catenin proteins in epithelial cells of tooth germs (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively), as well as in the ectomesenchyme of odontomas (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively). β-Catenin was moderately and significantly correlated with CK14 in the membrane of reduced enamel epithelial cells in odontomas (p = 0.007). Higher immunoexpression of CK14 was observed in the odontogenic epithelium during the bud and cap stages and lower immunoexpression in the internal enamel epithelium during the bell stage. In odontomas, lower expression of Wnt-1/β-catenin and higher immunoexpression of CK14 were found in odontogenic epithelial cells, especially adjacent to the mineralized material resembling the tooth formed in these lesions.

O desenvolvimento dentário depende de uma série de interações de sinalização recíproca entre o epitélio oral e o ectomesênquima. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o papel da CK14 das vias WNT-1/β-catenina na odontogênese e no desenvolvimento de odontomas. Este estudo transversal, retrospectivo, imuno-histoquímico analisou 30 odontomas compostos, 30 odontomas complexos e 17 germes dentários. A CK14 apresentou maior imunoexpressão em células epiteliais odontogênicas de germes dentários (p<0,001) e em células epiteliais odontogênicas de odontomas (p<0,001). A Wnt-1 e a β-catenina apresentaram maior imunoexpressão de proteínas nas células epiteliais dos germes dentários (p = 0,002 e p<0,001, respectivamente), bem como no ectomesênquima dos odontomas (p = 0,003 e p < 0,001, respectivamente). A β-catenina correlacionou-se moderada e significativamente com a CK14 na membrana de células epiteliais reduzidas do esmalte em odontomas (p = 0,007). Maior imunoexpressão da CK14 foi observada no epitélio odontogênico nos estágios de botão e capuz com menor imunoexpressão no epitélio interno do órgão do esmalte no estágio de sino. Nos odontomas, foi observado menor expressão de Wnt-1/β-catenina e maior imunoexpressão da CK14 presente nas células epiteliais odontogênicas, especialmente, vizinhas ao material mineralizado semelhante ao dente formado nessas lesões.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Immunoexpression of β-catenin, Wnt-1, and CK14 in odontomas. Higher immunoexpression of membrane β-catenin in the odontogenic lining epithelium (a1) and ectomesenchyme (b1) of compound odontoma. Higher nuclear immunoexpression of β-catenin in the odontogenic epithelium (c1) and ectomesenchyme (d1) near ghost cells in complex odontoma. Focal immunoexpression of Wnt-1 in islands of odontogenic epithelium in compound odontoma (a2) and complex odontoma (c2) and immunoexpression of Wnt-1 in ectomesenchyme of compound odontoma (b2) and islands of odontogenic epithelium in complex odontoma (d2). Higher immunoexpression of CK14 in the odontogenic folded epithelial lining of compound odontoma (a3) and near to ghost cells of complex odontoma (d3); higher immunoexpression of CK14 in odontogenic epithelial cells of compound odontoma (b3) and complex odontoma (d3) (Scale bar: 20 μm).
Figure 2
Figure 2. Immunoexpression of β-catenin, Wnt-1, and CK14 in human tooth germs from 12 to 17 weeks of intrauterine life. Bud stage (a1-a3): higher immunoexpression of membrane β-catenin in odontogenic epithelium and ectomesenchyme and higher immunoexpression of nuclear β-catenin in ectomesenchyme. Negative immunoexpression of Wnt-1 and higher immunoexpression of cytoplasmic CK14 in epithelium and negative immunoexpression in ectomesenchyme (Scale bar: 20μm).
Figure 3
Figure 3. Membrane and nuclear immunoexpression of β-catenin at different tooth germ stages. Higher immunoexpression of β-catenin in odontogenic epithelium and ectomesenchyme during the early and late cap stages (a1, b1), and minor immunoexpression of β-catenin in ectomesenchyme during the bell stages (c1, d1). Higher immunoexpression of nuclear β-catenin in the stellate reticulum at all tooth stages (a2-d2), higher immunoexpression of membrane and nuclear β-catenin in the inner enamel epithelium (a3-d3), and higher immunoexpression of membrane and nuclear β-catenin in the outer enamel epithelium (a4-d4) (Scale bar: 20 µm).
Figure 4
Figure 4. Box plot showing the individual immunoexpression of β-catenin, Wnt-1, and CK14 (Dunn’s post hoc test).
Figure 5
Figure 5. Immunoexpression of Wnt-1 at different tooth stages. Absent immunoexpression of Wnt-1 in stellate reticulum during the cap stages (a2-b2), low and focal immunoexpression of Wnt-1 in stellate reticulum during the bell stages (c2-d2), low and focal immunoexpression of Wnt-1 in the inner enamel epithelium (a3-d3), and focal immunoexpression of Wnt-1 in the outer enamel epithelium (c4-d4) (Scale bar: 20 µm).
Figure 6
Figure 6. Immunoexpression of CK14 at different tooth germ stages. Higher immunoexpression of CK14 in stellate reticulum at all tooth stages (a2-d2), higher immunoexpression of CK14 throughout the epithelium during the cap stages (a3-b3), minor immunoexpression of CK14 in part of the inner enamel epithelium (c3-d3), and higher immunoexpression of CK14 throughout the outer enamel epithelium (a4-d4) (Scale bar: 20 μm).
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