A study of the distribution of B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 in odontogenic cyst and tumors: Histochemical study.

Abstract

The odontogenic keratocyst is known for its aggressiveness, high recurrence rate, and transformation of keratinized epithelia to nonkeratinized squamous epithelium for which inflammation has been suggested to be responsible. B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) an anti-apoptotic protein, prolongs the life span of epithelial cells and allows proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis. Study was carried out comprising of 90 cases; (30 ameloblastoma, 30 keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT), and 30 radicular cyst). Bcl-2 expression was determined with respect to localization, area (percentage) and intensity of stained cells in epithelium, and connective tissue stroma by counting the endothelial, round, and fusiform cells. In epithelium bcl-2 expression in KCOTs was higher followed by ameloblastoma and lowest in the radicular cyst. Whereas, in connective tissue stroma bcl-2 expression was higher in KCOT and radicular cyst than ameloblastoma cases. Solid variants showed statistically higher expression as compared to the unicystic variants of ameloblastoma (P = 0.009, 0.033, 0.011, and 0.041). High expression of bcl-2 in KCOT supports the general agreement that some features of KCOT are those of a neoplasia. The bcl-2 expression in connective tissue cells suggests that these cells may also be important as epithelial cells in the biological behavior odontogenic keratocyst.