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Abstract
Background. Calretinin is a 29 kDa calcium-binding protein of the EF-hand family which is expressed in a variety of normal and tumorigenic tissues. Its expression in odontogenic epithelium during odontogenesis and in neoplastic odontogenic tissues has been demonstrated. Unicystic ameloblastoma poses a diagnostic challenge, as its histologic presentation can be sometimes mistaken for keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT). This study was performed to assess the usefulness of calretinin as a confirmatory marker for ameloblastic tissue. Methodology. Total of 40 cases: 16 unicystic ameloblastoma, 4 multicystic ameloblastoma, and 20 KCOT, were evaluated immunohistochemically for the presence, localization, distribution, and intensity of calretinin expression. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test to intercompare the expression between ameloblastoma and KCOT. Results. Sixteen cases of ameloblastoma (12 unicystic, 4 multicystic) showed positive calretinin staining of ameloblastic epithelium and only one case of KCOT was positive for calretinin, with the positivity restricted to the stellate reticulum like epithelium. Intercomparison between two groups revealed statistically significant difference (P = 0.000). Conclusion. Calretinin appears to be a specific immunohistochemical marker for neoplastic ameloblastic epithelium and may be an important diagnostic adjunct in the differential diagnosis of ameloblastoma and KCOT.
Highlights
Calcium ions (Ca2+) regulate a large number of biological processes such as metabolism, contraction, secretion, cell division, cell growth, and memory storage—either directly or indirectly
keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) is an aggressive cyst with neoplastic behaviour while unicystic ameloblastoma is a neoplasm with cyst like behaviour [15, 16]
Unicystic ameloblastoma is lined in some areas, but rarely entirely, by odontogenic epithelium of ameloblastoma appearance and stratified squamous epithelium in the remaining areas [18]
Summary
Calcium ions (Ca2+) regulate a large number of biological processes such as metabolism, contraction, secretion, cell division, cell growth, and memory storage—either directly or indirectly. The calcium signal is transmitted into the intracellular response, in part via interactions with a wide variety of intracellular calcium-binding proteins that are involved in the regulation of many cellular activities. One class of these proteins shares a common calcium-binding motif, the EFhand [1]. Calretinin is a 29 kDa calcium-binding protein of the EF-hand family which is expressed in a variety of normal and tumorigenic tissues.
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