MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded ameloblastoma cases comprising unicystic ameloblastoma (n=19) and solid/multicystic ameloblastoma (n=20) were subjected to IHC staining for IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8. A semi-quantitative method was used to evaluate the expression levels of these cytokines according to cell types in the tumoural parenchyma and stroma.
RESULTS: Major findings were upregulations of IL-1α and IL-6 in SMA compared to UA. Both cytokines were heterogeneously detected in the tumoural parenchyma and stroma. Within the neoplastic epithelial compartment, IL-1α expression was more frequently detected in PA-like cells in UA whereas it was more frequently encountered in SR-like cells in SMA. IL-6 demonstrated higher expression levels in the stromal compartment of SMA. IL-1β and IL-8 were markedly underexpressed in both tumour subsets.
CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of IL-1α in SMA suggests that this growth factor might play a role in promoting bone resorption and local invasiveness in this subtype. The expression levels of IL-1α and IL-6 in three cellular localizations indicate that parenchymal-stromal components of ameloblastoma interact reciprocally via IL-1α and IL-6 to create a microenvironment conducive for tumour progression.
METHODS: This descriptive study comprised 5 patients of KCOT associated with NBCCS and 8 patients of nonsyndromic type treated in the Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre between years 1998 and 2011. The clinical features (site, size, treatment, and recurrence), demographic characteristics, and immunohistochemistry results using antibodies of bcl-2, cyclin D1, p53, and PCNA were examined. The association of the antibody expression and the type of KCOT was analyzed using Fisher exact test.
RESULTS: Altogether there were 13 patients, 5 with syndromic KCOT (1 patient met 3 major criteria of NBCCS) and 8 with sporadic KCOT. The age range for syndromic KCT was 11 to 21 years (mean 16.00 years, SD 4.36) and 10 to 54 years (median 24.50 years, interquartile range 19.00) for the nonsyndromic KCOT. Tumor recurrence occurred in 3 patients (7.7%); 1 patient from the syndromic and 2 patients from the nonsyndromic. The most positive expression was observed in PCNA for both the syndromic and nonsyndromic samples and the least positive expression involved the p53.
CONCLUSION: PCNA, bcl-2 protein, and cyclin D1 expressions could be useful in evaluating the proliferative activity of the tumor and the aggressiveness of the clinical presentation; however, the authors would propose for larger sample size research for more definitive results.