Epstein-Barr virus-infected plasma cells in periodontitis lesions.

Growing evidence supports that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a putative periodontal pathogen, but little is known regarding EBV behavior in periodontitis. Here, EBV infection was monitored in saliva and periodontal pocket (PP), at baseline and 3 months after periodontal non-surgical therapy (p-NST) in 20 patients diagnosed with periodontitis. After the treatment, the patients with the improved periodontal condition (good responders) showed a significant decrease in salivary EBV load. In contrast, in poor responders, EBV load was slightly increased. Moreover, after the therapy, most patients showed clear signs of EBV infection in a deep PP (≥5 mm) selected as a study site. To investigate how EBV can persist in a PP, we further investigate cellular sites of viral replication in PP. We identified large amounts of infiltrated EBV-infected cells, mostly overlapping with CD138+ plasma cells (PC). EBV-infected PCs formed high-density clusters within the infiltrate and along the periodontal epithelium which were commonly associated with CD3+ T-cells and CD20+ B-cells to evoke diffuse ectopic lymphoid-like structures. Taking together, this study provides new insights to support a model where the periodontal condition may play a major role in oral EBV shedding. Since PC harbors the late productive phases of EBV replication, the periodontal condition may favor B-cell differentiation with possible amplification of periodontal EBV infection and viral spreading. PCs have long been recognized as pathogenic markers in inflammatory lesions. Our finding sheds new light on the role of EBV infection and PC in periodontitis.

Expression and role of p53 in oral lichen planus patients.

PURPOSE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an autoimmune skin and mucosal disorder. The range of malignant transformation in OLP varies between 0.1-3%. p53 is a tumor suppressor protein. Defective p53 could allow abnormal cells to proliferate, resulting in cancer. p53 plays an important role in cell cycle control and apoptosis and loss of p53 function has been demonstrated in about half of all human cancers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the malignant potential of OLP on the basis of p53 expression and to correlate p53 expression with clinical and histopathological features of OLP. METHODS: 40 patients with OLP underwent biopsy. All tissue samples were treated immunohistochemicaly using avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method. RESULTS: In 80% of OLP specimens the nuclei of basal and parabasal keratinocytes were p53-positive, but in low numbers. Low percentage of p53-positive cells in older and medium percentage of p53-positive cells in younger group of OLP patients were noted. Higher intensity of p53 stained keratinocytes, no matter their low number, could represent mutant and more stable form of p53 protein, and at the same time signal for monitoring of disease due to potential malignant transformation. Low percentage and weak intensity of p53-positive cells was detected mostly in OLP specimens with highly expressed civatte bodies (CB). Upregulation of apoptosis didn't correspond with the expression of CB. CONCLUSION: We believe that low percentage of p53-positive and well-marked keratinocytes in OLP represent the influence of mutant p53 protein, and that increasing expression of this protein could serve as a valuable diagnostic sign of early carcinogenesis. According to our results intensity of p53 coloration of keratinocytes could help assessing the malignant potential of OLP.

450 nm Blue Laser and Oral Surgery: Preliminary ex vivo Study.

INTRODUCTION: Dental diode lasers were started to be used at the end of the 1990s and were shown to possess several important characteristics, such as small size and low cost, as well as the advantage of optic fibers delivering system. Although only two wavelengths (810 and 980 nm) had been the most used dental diode lasers, a wavelength emitting in the blue portion of the spectrum has recently been proposed. AIM: The aim of this ex vivo study was to compare the effectiveness of five different fiber-delivered laser wavelengths (450, 532, 808, 1064, and 1340 nm) in the oral soft tissue ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specimens were surgically collected from the dorsal surface of four bovine tongues and, while deep thermal increase was measured by two thermocouples at 0.5 and 2 mm depth, surface temperature was recorded by an infrared thermometer. Subsequently, specimens were fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution, cut into slices, and embedded in paraffin blocks, and a pathologist made a morphological analysis by optic microscope assigning a score based on the quality of the cut and tissue damage. RESULTS: The analysis showed the best quality of the cut and the lowest temperature increase on the specimens obtained with the shortest laser wavelength (450 nm). CONCLUSION: Even considering this as preliminary study, the use of 450 nm blue diode laser in oral surgery may be suggested to the clinician in their daily practice. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study opens a new perspective in oral surgery. Blue diode laser has demonstrated a good quality of the cut with a low energy causing a minimal thermal damage to the tissue, promising a better comfort to patients.

Telomeric repeat-binding factor 2: a marker for survival and anti-EGFR efficacy in oral carcinoma.

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral cancer worldwide. Treatments including surgery, radio- and chemo-therapies mostly result in debilitating side effects. Thus, a more accurate evaluation of patients at risk of recurrence after radio/chemo treatment is important for preserving their quality of life. We assessed whether the Telomeric Repeat-binding Factor 2 (TERF2) influences tumor aggressiveness and treatment response. TERF2 is over-expressed in many cancers but its correlation to patient outcome remains controversial in OSCC. Our retrospective study on sixty-two patients showed that TERF2 overexpression has a negative impact on survival time. TERF2-dependent survival time was independent of tumor size in a multivariate analysis. In vitro, TERF2 knockdown by RNA interference had no effect on cell proliferation, migration, senescence and apoptosis. Instead, TERF2 knockdown increased the expression of cytokines implicated in inflammation and angiogenesis, except for vascular endothelial growth factor. TERF2 knockdown resulted in a decrease vascularization and growth of xenograft tumors. Finally, response to erlotinib/Tarceva and cetuximab/Erbitux treatment was increased in TRF2 knocked-down cells. Hence, TERF2 may represent an independent marker of survival for OSCC and a predictive marker for cetuximab/Erbitux and erlotinib/Tarceva efficacy.

Immunohistological features in adenomatoid odontogenic tumor: review of the literature and first expression and mutational analysis of ß-catenin in this unusual lesion of the jaws.

PURPOSE: To investigate for the first time the immunohistochemical and mutational status of ß-catenin in a mandibular case of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) and to review the immunohistochemical expression data of various markers (cytokeratins, metalloproteinases, etc) in such a lesion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case of follicular-type AOT in a young male patient was analyzed in regard to the immunohistochemical expression of ß-catenin and mutations of the ß-catenin gene (CTNNB1). Its expression is altered in some odontogenic tumors. RESULTS: We found a strong cytoplasmic expression of ß-catenin, but no molecular anomaly within the exon 3 of CTNNB1. ß-catenin is considered to play a role in cell differentiation processes. CONCLUSION: Our results were consistent with previous findings in ameloblastoma and malignant odontogenic tumors. However, ß-catenin alterations had not been explored in AOT so far. Further studies are necessary to understand the specific regulation of ß-catenin in the AOT pathogenesis.

[Juvenile ossifying fibroma: a misgiving tumor of the jaws]. / Une tumeur maxillaire à ne pas méconnaître : le fibrome ossifiant de type juvenile.

Juvenile ossifying fibroma is a rare benign tumour of childhood. It is hardly distinguishable from others fibro-osseous lesions because of their overlapping microscopic features. Juvenile variant of ossifying fibroma may be mistaken for malignancy, particularly osteosarcoma. Radiology is central to their diagnosis because of the very limited nature of the tumour. Microscopically, the lack of cytologic atypia or abnormal mitosis, and the presence of bone maturation or cementum deposits are consistent with an ossifying fibroma. This entity should be kept in mind regarding any bone lesion jaws in children.

New clinical approach for use of Er:YAG laser in the surgical treatment of oral lichen planus: a report of two cases.

The aim of this clinical report is to demonstrate the efficiency of Er:YAG laser in reducing symptoms and lymphoplasmocytic infiltrate in case of oral lichen planus (OLP). In addition to medical therapy and conventional surgery, laser has been proposed for the treatment of this disease, but currently, use of Er:YAG laser (2940 nm) has not been reported. Two clinical cases of female patients who came to our clinic with lesions in the internal portion of the cheek and in the hard palate mucosa close to the upper right molars, surgically treated by Er:YAG laser, are described. The parameters used were as follows: energy, 80-120 mJ; frequency, 6-15 Hz; non-contact hand piece; spot size diameter, 0.9 mm; pulse duration, 100 µsec (VSP) to 300 µsec (SP) ; fluences, 12.6-18.9 J/cm(2); and air/water spray (ratio: 6/5). In the two patients, the peeling of the lesions was completed with much less discomfort (<25% in visual analogue scale). A very small recurrence was observed in one case (cheeks) after 15 months, and the same protocol was applied successfully. The use of this wavelength offers several advantages including, a good and fast healing process, a very low level of discomfort during and after intervention, and a rapid disappearance of symptoms. Even if this methodology seems to be an interesting new surgical approach in the management of non-erosive OLP, this clinical report has to be considered as a preliminary one because of the limited number of cases. As a consequence, further studies and long-term follow-up will be necessary.