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Metallothionein and p-Akt proteins in oral dysplasia and in oral squamous cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study |
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| Authors: | H A R Pontes F C de Aquino Xavier T S P da Silva F P Fonseca H B Paiva F S C Pontes D dos Santos Pinto Jr |
| Institution: | João de Barros Barreto University Hospital, Federal University of Pará, Brazil;;Department of Stomatology (Oral Pathology), Dental School, University of São Paul, Brazil |
| Abstract: | Background: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is the main potentially malignant lesion of the oral cavity, and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for more than 95% of all malignant neoplasms in the oral cavity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the immunoexpression of p-Akt and Metallothionein (MT) proteins in dysplasic and neoplasic oral lesions. Methods: Immunohistochemical studies were carried out on 10 normal epithelium, 30 OL and 15 OSCC paraffin-embedded samples. Immunoperoxidase reaction for p-Akt and MT proteins was applied on the specimens, and the positivity of the reactions was calculated for 1000 epithelial cells. Results: Using the ANOVA and the Tukey's post hoc statistical analyses, it was observed a significant difference in the immunoexpression for p-Akt and MT when the OSCC samples were compared with normal and dysplasic epithelial groups. In addition, the Pearson's correlation test showed a significant correlation between the proteins' expression. Conclusion: Based on the data obtained, p-Akt and MT activation may play an important role in the conversion of a potentially malignant oral lesion to a malignant carcinoma since its earlier stages. |
| Keywords: | dysplasia oral cancer oral mucosa oral pre-cancer |