Treatment of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia: a case report.

The concept of "fibro-osseous lesions" of bone has evolved over the last several years and now includes two mayor entities: the fibrous dysplasia (FD) and the cement-ossifying fibroma (COF). Fibrous dysplasia is considered to be a developmental, tumor-like (hamartomatous), fibro-osseous disease of unknown etiology. There is a maxillary predominance when craniofacial FD occurs in the jaws and the maxillary sinus is commonly involved. Differentiation of OF from FD is important because of differences in treatment and behaviour. This article report a case of 60-year-old female with a history of painless unilateral palatal swelling.

A chromosomal region on ECA13 is associated with maxillary prognathism in horses.

Hereditary variations in head morphology and head malformations are known in many species. The most common variation encountered in horses is maxillary prognathism. Prognathism and brachygnathism are syndromes of the upper and lower jaw, respectively. The resulting malocclusion can negatively affect teeth wear, and is considered a non-desirable trait in breeding programs. We performed a case-control analysis for maxillary prognathism in horses using 96 cases and 763 controls. All horses had been previously genotyped with a commercially available 50 k SNP array. We analyzed the data with a mixed-model considering the genomic relationships in order to account for population stratification. Two SNPs within a region on the distal end of chromosome ECA 13 reached the Bonferroni corrected genome-wide significance level. There is no known prognathism candidate gene located within this region. Therefore, our findings in the horse offer the possibility of identifying a novel gene involved in the complex genetics of prognathism that might also be relevant for humans and other livestock species.

New approach to analyze genetic and clinical data in bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw.

OBJECTIVES: Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a major complication associated with long-term use of bisphosphonates (BP). We aimed to investigate the effect of CYP2C8 rs1934951 SNP and its relationship to a number of clinical and biochemical factors in 46 Hungarian subjects with bisphosphonate-induced ONJ. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from each subject and genomic DNA was extracted. SNP analysis of CYP2C8 gene was carried out by predesigned TaqMan primer/probe sets. The genetic data together with clinical and biochemical variables were evaluated by chi-square test, logistic regression, and principal component analysis (PCA). RESULTS: The risk of mandibular localization of ONJ was 19.2-fold higher in subjects with AG genotype than in normal GG genotype. PCA revealed strong positive correlations between maxillar localization of ONJ and a group of variables including intravenous BP application and serum lipid markers. Mandibular localization of ONJ was correlated positively with serum calcium, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and PTH levels, oral BP application, and the length of BP therapy. The degree of the disease and the number of recurrences were correlated with the application of hormone-deprivation therapy for breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION: The statistical approach applying PCA to our data may contribute to the better understanding of factors playing role in the development of bisphosphonate-induced ONJ.

Basal cell carcinoma arising in association with a maxillary keratocyst in a patient with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. Report of a case.

INTRODUCTION: Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also known as nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder which is characterized by the presence of multiple basal cell carcinomas, maxillary keratocysts, and musculoskeletal anomalies. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a patient suffering from Gorlin-Goltz syndrome who developed an intraosseous basal cell carcinoma associated with a recurrent maxillary keratocyst. To our knowledge, this is the first case of malignant transformation of a keratocyst into a basal cell carcinoma described in the literature. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the importance of careful histologic examination of keratocysts excised in patients suffering from Gorlin-Goltz syndrome.

Keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KCOT)--a cyst to a tumour.

PURPOSE: The World Health Organization (WHO) has reclassified 'odontogenic keratocyst' (OKC) to 'keratocystic odontogenic tumour' (KCOT) in 2005. Currently, this tumour is classified as a benign neoplasm of odontogenic origin and not as a cyst. This article reviews and discusses history, classification scheme, aetiology and pathogenesis, molecular and genetic basis, incidence, epidemiology and site, clinical features, imaging, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, treatment options, prognosis, recurrence and malignant transformation of KCOT, with emphasis on understanding the basis of reclassification as 'keratocystic odontogenic tumour'. METHODS: A systematic search and review of the literature was carried out in the online database of the United States National Library of Medicine to identify eligible titles for the study. RESULTS: Current evidence suggests that the scientific community still continues to use the term 'odontogenic keratocyst' more favourably than 'keratocystic odontogenic tumour'. CONCLUSION: The online database search indicates that the scientific community still continues to use the term 'odontogenic keratocyst' more favourably than 'keratocystic odontogenic tumour'. At this juncture, where the terminology has changed from a cyst to a tumour, a thorough review of literature on KCOT is presented.

SH3BP2-encoding exons involved in cherubism are not associated with central giant cell granuloma.

Central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) is a benign lesion with unpredictable biological behaviour ranging from a slow-growing asymptomatic swelling to an aggressive lesion associated with pain, bone and root resorption and also tooth displacement. The aetiology of the disease is unclear with controversies in the literature on whether it is mainly of reactional, inflammatory, infectious, neoplasic or genetic origin. To test the hypothesis that mutations in the SH3BP2 gene, as the principal cause of cherubism, are also responsible for, or at least associated with, giant cell lesions, 30 patients with CGCG were recruited for this study and subjected to analysis of germ line and/or somatic alterations. In the blood samples of nine patients, one codon alteration in exon 4 was found, but this alteration did not lead to changes at the amino acid level. In conclusion, if a primary genetic defect is the cause for CGCG it is either located in SH3BP2 gene exons not yet related to cherubism or in a different gene.

Comparative immunohistochemical expression of RANK, RANKL and OPG in radicular and dentigerous cysts.

OBJECTIVE: Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK), RANK ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are members of the superfamily of ligands and receptors of tumour necrosis factor family involved in bone metabolism. The formation, differentiation and activity of osteoclasts are regulated by these proteins. To clarify the roles of osteoclast regulatory factors in cystic expansion of odontogenic cysts, expression of these proteins were analysed in radicular and dentigerous cysts. DESIGN: The immunohistochemistry expression of these biomarkers were evaluated and measured in lining epithelium and fibrous capsule of the radicular (n=20) and dentigerous cysts (n=20). RESULTS: A similar expression in lining epithelium was observed in the lesions. The fibrous capsule of dentigerous cyst showed a higher content of RANK-positive and RANKL-positive cells than fibrous capsule of radicular cyst. In the lining epithelium the RANKL/OPG ratio showed higher numbers of OPG-positive than RANKL-positive cells, whereas fibrous capsule of the cysts had a tendency to present a similar expression (OPG=RANKL). CONCLUSION: Ours findings indicate the presence of RANK, RANKL and OPG in cysts. Moreover, increased expression of OPG compared to RANKL in the lining epithelium could contribute to the differential bone resorption activity in theses lesions.

One germline mutation of PTCH gene in a Chinese family with non-syndromic keratocystic odontogenic tumours.

Keratocystic odontogenic tumours (KOCTs) are common benign cystic tumours that arise sporadically or associated with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS). PTCH mutation can be found in sporadically or NBCCS associated KOCTs. Few PTCH mutations in families with non-syndromic KOCTs have been reported. Through PCR and gene sequence analysis, the authors discovered one missense mutation c.3277G>C in exon 19 of PTCH gene in a Chinese family with non-syndromic KOCTs. This mutation causes one highly conserved glycine residue transit to arginine on the 10th transmembrane region of PTCH protein. This work revealed that the missense mutation of PTCH is the causative and dominant gene of KOCTs in this family.

Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaws, bone markers, and a hypothesized candidate gene.

PURPOSE: To determine whether any abnormality in serum bone markers is related to bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained serum bone markers and other relevant endocrine assays on 7 patients with osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ). The assays were C-telopeptide, N-telopeptide, bone specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, intact parathyroid hormone, T3, T4, TSH, and vitamin D 25 hydroxy. Diagnostic criteria for ONJ were those formulated by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. RESULTS: Five of our patients were women. Two had metastatic breast cancer and had been treated with zoledronic acid; 1 had also received pamidronate. Three others had osteoporosis and had been treated with daily alendronate. One man had metastatic prostate cancer treated with zoledronic acid. Another man had Gaucher's disease treated with zoledronic acid. All patients had been withdrawn from bisphosphonate for at least 6 months. None was taking or had taken corticosteroids. None of the lesions had shown any significant healing and all were still causing the patients considerable distress, yet the bone markers were within the normal range as measured in our laboratory, except for intact parathyroid hormone, which was slightly elevated in 1 case of metastatic breast cancer (177 pg/mL). CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) is a candidate gene for bisphosphonate-induced ONJ for 3 reasons: 1) MMP2 is associated with bone abnormalities which could be related to ONJ. 2) Bisphosphonates are associated with atrial fibrillation, and MMP2 is the only gene known to be associated with both bone abnormalities and atrial fibrillation. 3) A network of disorders and disease genes linked by known disorder-gene associations indicates that cardiovascular disease and bone disease are closely related, suggesting that a single drug such as bisphosphonate, acting on a single gene, MMP2, could have both bone and cardiovascular side effects different from the osteoclast inhibition that is characteristic of bisphosphonate.

Hyper-reactive PMNs in FcgammaRIIa 131 H/H genotype periodontitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Receptors for the Fc part of IgG (FcgammaRIIa) on polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) mediate phagocytosis and cell activation. Previous results show that one of the genetic variants of the FcgammaRIIa, the 131 H/H, is associated with more periodontal breakdown than the R/R. This may be due to hyper-reactivity of the H/H-PMNs upon interaction with bacteria. AIM: To study whether the FcgammaRIIa genotype modifies the PMN reactivity in periodontitis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cohort of 98 periodontitis patients was genotyped. From these, 10 H/H and 10 R/R consented to participate. PMNs were incubated with immune serum-opsonized Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.). Phagocytosis, degranulation (CD63 and CD66b expression), respiratory burst and elastase release were assessed. RESULTS: Patients of the H/H genotype showed more bone loss than those with the H/R or R/R genotype (p=0.038). H/H-PMNs phagocytosed more opsonized A.a. than did R/R-PMNs (p=0.019). The H/H-PMNs also expressed more CD63 and CD66b than did the R/R-PMNs (p=0.004 and 0.002, respectively) and released more elastase (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The genotyping results confirm previous reports that more periodontal destruction occurs in the H/H genotype than in the H/R or R/R genotype. The functional studies indicate a hyper-reactivity of the H/H-PMN in response to bacteria, which may be one of several pathways leading to more periodontal breakdown.

Familial malignant osteopetrosis in children: a case report.

The clinical, radiological, pathological and laboratory findings of two brothers with autosomal recessive malignant osteopetrosis are presented. Our findings are similar to characteristics previously reported in the literature about patients with osteopetrosis. The 6-year-old male patient was pale and had petechiae on his arms and legs. He also had macrocephalia, splenomegaly, severe pancytopenia, genu valgus, hypocalcemia, amaurosis, cessation of physical development, generalized bone sclerosis and recurrent infections with a history of multiple incidences of acute otitis media. Generalized bone sclerosis and irregular sclerosis of the maxilla and mandible were seen on radiographs. The oral mucosa was apparently normal but permanent tooth eruption was delayed although there was early loss of deciduous teeth. The recommended treatment was blood transfusion and therapy with antibiotics when necessary; a bone marrow transplant was not possible due to lack of a compatible donor.

Torus palatinus and torus mandibularis in edentulous patients.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of tori in Jordanian edentulous patients, the sex variation in their distribution, and their clinical characteristics. METHODS: Three hundred and thirty eight patients were examined in the Prosthodontic Clinic in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at Jordan University of Science and Technology. The location, extent, and clinical presentation of tori were recorded related to the age and sex of patients. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of tori was 13.9%. The prevalence of torus palatinus was 29.8% (14/47), while that of torus mandibularis was significantly higher 42.6% (20/47). Both types of tori were associated with each other in 27.7% of cases (13/47). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of tori between males and females. There seems to be a strong association between mandibular and palatal tori.

Molecular evidence supporting the neoplastic nature of odontogenic keratocyst: a laser capture microdissection study of 15 cases.

AIMS: The bland histology of odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) belies its capacity for aggressive behaviour. Genetic alterations of OKC have not been well studied. We examined the frequency and pattern of allelic imbalance on five different chromosome regions from 15 patients with OKC. METHODS AND RESULTS: Laser-assisted microdissection was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of extracted DNA targeted five polymorphic DNA markers (D3S1285, D9S161, D11S1316, D13S290, and TP53) representing chromosome regions 3p14, 9p21, 11q23, 13q12.1 and 17p13, respectively. All 15 cases of OKC were informative at a minimum of three of five loci, with 11 informative on all five loci. Twelve of 15 cases (80%) demonstrated loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Seven cases (47%) showed LOH at more than two DNA loci. The frequency of LOH was 5/11 (45%) at D3S1285, 3/15 (20%) at D9S161, 4/14 (29%) at D11S1316, 8/14 (57%) at D13S290 and 3/15 (20%) at TP53. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of OKCs harbour chromosomal abnormalities. This finding supports the supposition that OKCs are neoplastic. Furthermore, OKCs harbour allelic loss at some of the same loci identified in squamous cell carcinoma. This may aid in explaining the rare occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma arising in OKC.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase mediates bone development and P. gingivalis-induced alveolar bone loss.

The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in bone development and bacterially induced periodontal bone loss was examined using mice with targeted mutation of the iNOS gene. Femurs of iNOS KO mice showed 30% and 9% higher bone mineral density compared to wild type (WT) at 4 and 9 weeks of age, respectively. Micro-computed tomography revealed that cortical thickness and cortical bone density is increased in the absence of iNOS, while trabecular bone thickness and bone density remains unchanged. Histochemical analysis using TRAP staining showed that osteoclast numbers are lower by 25% in iNOS KO femurs compared to WT femurs. When bone marrow cells were stimulated with M-CSF and RANKL in vitro, iNOS KO cultures developed 51% fewer TRAP-positive multinuclear cells compared to WT cultures. When similar cultures were grown on dentine discs, resorption pit area was decreased by 54% in iNOS KO cultures. Gene expression studies showed that iNOS expression is induced by M-CSF and RANKL in WT bone marrow cultures, while no iNOS transcript was detected in iNOS KO. No compensatory change was detected in the expression of neuronal or endothelial NOS isoforms. There was no difference in RANK and osteoprotegerin expression between iNOS KO and WT bone marrow cultures after M-CSF and RANKL-treatment, while Traf6 expression was significantly lower in the absence of iNOS. In the alveolar bone of the maxilla, the distance between the cementoenamel junction and the alveolar bone crest was larger in iNOS KO compared to WT mice from 6 to 14 weeks of age, indicating a developmental effect of iNOS in oral tissues. Oral administration of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis caused alveolar bone loss in the maxilla of WT mice, but failed to do so in iNOS KO mice. Expression of the osteoclast marker cathepsin K was 25% lower in iNOS KO alveolar bone. These data indicate that iNOS promotes bone resorption during bone development as well as after bacterial infection, and that iNOS is an important signal for normal osteoclast differentiation.

Imaging modality correlations of an odontogenic keratocyst in the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome: a family case report.

Multiple maxillary and mandibular cysts are principle features of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS; Gorlin-Goltz syndrome). We present a family case report of NBCCS with odontogenic keratocyst where the findings on plain films, CT, clinical, and histopathologic examinations are compared and analyzed. The systemic manifestations included frontal bossing, odontogenic keratocyst, ectopic calcification in 1 patient, and bifid rib in 1 patient. CT examination displayed aspects of bone morphology not visible on the plain films. Odontogenic keratocyst diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination. The features identified by these combined clinical, imaging, and histologic findings are helpful in identifying an NBCCS patient, distinguishing keratocyst from others cysts or neoplasic lesions, and can therefore influence surgical management. NBCCS is a rare autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndrome, which is important to recognize when a patient has multiple odontogenic keratocysts, because lifelong monitoring is essential for patient management.

Investigation of the GSalpha gene in the diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia.

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign fibro-osseous disease of bone and its etiology has been previously established. Activating mutations in the gene that encodes the alpha subunit of stimulatory G protein (G(S)alpha) has been described in monostotic and polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and in the McCune-Albright syndrome. The present report describes a patient with monostotic fibrous dysplasia which diagnosis was confirmed by sequencing of the G(S)alpha gene, demonstrating a heterozygous missense mutation on codon 201 (201C --> T). Due to the high prevalence of G(S)alpha gene mutations in fibrous dysplasia in contrast to other benign and malignant fibrous-osseous lesions, mutational analysis are an additional and helpful parameter for the diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia in selected cases.

Bone morphogenetic protein-4 gene polymorphism and early marginal bone loss around endosseous implants.

PURPOSE: At stage II surgery during dental implant treatment, early marginal bone loss around the implant occasionally occurs despite a lack of apparent causal events, and the etiology of this bone loss is unclear. This study was designed to investigate whether the bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) genetic polymorphism is associated with early marginal bone loss around implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The BMP-4 polymorphism was detected by restriction fragment length analysis using HphI digestion after polymerase chain reaction. A total of 262 implants were placed in 41 patients, and early marginal bone loss was observed in 25 of the 109 maxillary implants and 14 of the 153 mandibular implants. RESULTS: In the mandible, the patients with the BMP-4 AV genotype had a significantly higher rate of occurrence of marginal bone loss than those with the BMP-4 W genotype (P = .012). According to multiple logistic regression analyses, the odds ratio of the AV versus the W BMP-4 genotype was 8.106 between patients with and those without bone loss in the mandible (95% CI = 1.30 to 50.51; P = .025). DISCUSSION: These results suggest that the BMP-4 genetic polymorphism influences early marginal bone loss around implants. CONCLUSION: While perhaps premature in recommendation, genetic screening before implant surgery may prove to be a very useful aid to consider the risk of implant treatment.

Association of calcitonin receptor gene polymorphism with early marginal bone loss around endosseous implants.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between calcitonin receptor (CTR) genotype and buccal marginal bone loss observed at stage II surgery for endosseous implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 237 implants were placed in 35 patients; 89 implants were placed in maxillae and 148 implants in mandibles. The CTR genetic polymorphism was examined by the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method. RESULTS: Patients with the TC genotype were 20 times more likely to suffer buccal marginal bone loss in the mandible than patients with the CC genotype. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the distribution of age, smoking status, postmenopausal women, and bone quality between patients with and without bone loss in either jaw. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that the known risk factor for bone loss cannot explain the early marginal bone loss around the implants. CONCLUSION: Although further genetic research should be conducted, it is suggested that the CTR genetic test could become a useful tool in the planning of treatment before implant surgery and lead to more predictable implant treatment.

[Cytokeratin and p53 expression of odontogenic cysts]. / Zytokeratin- und p53-Expression odontogener Zysten.

The histopathologic diagnosis of odontogenic cysts is based mainly on the morphological nature of the epithelial lining of cysts and their origin. We used the international histologic classification set up by the World Health Organisation in 1992. The aim of this study was to investigate the differentiation of various types of cyst using an immunohistochemical technique rather than by conventional morphological assessment. A standard immunocytochemical method (APAAP method), applying anticytokeratin monoclonal antibodies and a p53 antibody, was used for the diagnosis of odontogenic cysts. A total of 57 jaw cysts were diagnosed according to clinical, radiological and pathological criteria as radicular cysts (20), dentigerous cysts (20) and keratocysts (17). The results proved that cyst type can be distinguished by the pattern of staining using the monoclonal antibodies CK7, CK19, CK20 for cytokeratins and the clone DO-7 for the p53 protein. Staining with the monoclonal antibodies CK7 and CK20 did not distinguish type. CK19 was not detected in keratocysts and p53 was only expressed in keratocysts. This may prove to be diagnostically useful for the more precise distinction between different cyst types.