Corelation between epithelial proliferation and inflammation in odontogenic cysts

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried-out to investigate the proliferative potential of the epithelium of different types of odontogenic cysts [OC] using immunohistochemical staining against proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA] as a marker of proliferation and to investigate its correlation to inflammation . This study was carried-out on 19 archival paraffin blocks of odontogenic cyst cases, from each case two 5 microns thick sections were processed for immunohistochemical study of PCNA, which was counted in 10 high power fields [HPF] and compared to the number of inflammatory cells in the sub epithelial connective tissue. In the present study radicular cysts presented Scases [42.1%], 7 keratocysts [36.8%] and 4 dentigerous cyst cases [21.1%]. Three radicular cysts [15.8%] were completely negative for immunohistochemical staining against PCNA, the remaining 16 cases had 26.4 PCNA positive cells / 10 HPF. Mean number of PCNA positive cells for cases of dentigerous cysts was 30.9 cells/10 HPF followed by keratocysts 26.1 cells/10 HPF and then radicular cysts 22.3 cells/10 HPF, the differences between these groups was statistically insignificant. On the other hand, mean number of inflammatory cells per 10 HPFs showed statistically significant differences between the studied three types of cysts [P = 0.002]. Strong positive significant correlation between mean number of PCNA positive cells and inflammatory cells was reported in the present study for all the studied cyst cases and for each individual cyst type. The results of the present study demonstrated a strong positive correlation between proliferation and inflammation in all types of the studied odontogenic cyst cases