Immunohistochemical evaluation of CD31 in human cystic radicular lesions and in keratocysts

PLATELET-ENDOTHELIAL CELL ADHESION MOLECULE1 PROTEIN (PECAM-1/CD31) IS EXPRESSED IN NUMEROUS PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL PROCESSES CHARACTERIZED BY AN INCREASE OF VASCULAR PERMEABILITY, AND IN NORMAL AND TUMOR TISSUES. CD31 MEMBER OF THE IMMUNOGLOBULIN SUPER FAMILY THAT MEDIATES CELL-TO-CELL ADHESION MOLECULE PECAM-1 . CD31 IS A LIGAND FOR CD38 AND PLAYS A ROLE IN THROMBOSIS AND ANGIOGENESIS. CD31 IS STRONGLY EXPRESSED IN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS AND WEAKLY EXPRESSED IN MEGACARYOCYTES, PLATELETS, OCCASIONAL PLASMACELLS, LYNPHOCITES ( MARGINAL ZONE B-CELLS PERYPHERAL T-CELLS) AND NEUTROPHILS. THE PRESENT STUDY EVALUATES THE ANGIOGENIC PRECESSES WICH ARE ACCOMPANIED BY AN EXPANSION OF CYSTIC RADICULAR AND KERATOCYSTIC LESIONS OF THE JAW BONE. TWEL VE SUBJECTS WITH AMXILLARY CYSTS (8 MALES AND 4 FEMALES) WITH AN AVERAGE AGE OF 43 YEARS WERE SELECTED BY THE CHIETI UNIVERSITY ORAL SURGERY DEPT. THE SURGICAL SAMPLES TAKEN WERE SUBJECTED TO HYSTOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS. THE HISTOLOGICAL EVALUATION CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS OF RADICULAR CYSTISIS AND KERATOCYSTISIS. THE IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSES WERE POSITIVE FOR CD31 PROTEIN IN ALL THE LESION ANALYSED, EVEN THOUGH THAY HAD DIFFERED INTESITIES. USING A SEMIQUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS IT WAS POSSIBLE TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE RADICULAR CYST SAMPLES, AN INTENSE EXPRESSION OF THE VASCULAR COMPONENT BOTH IN THE INFLAMNED AREA AND TRHE ADJACENT STROMA. THE LESIONS WITH CHERATIN CONTENT SHOWED NEWLY-FORMED, RATHER MODEST VASCULARITY BOTH IN THE AREA SHOWING SLIGHT INFLAMMATION WERE THE CELLULAR COMPONENT IS PREVALENT, AND IN THE ADJACENT AREAS SHOWING NO SIGN OF INFLAMMATION. THEREFOREIN OUR OBSEVATIONS, ANGIOGENESIS COULD TAKE ON A PRIMARY ROLE IN THE DEVOLPMENT OF CYSTIC LESIONS OF THE JAW BONES. THE DIFFERENCES OF CD31 EXPRESSION, IN ALL SAMPLES WOULD ADVISE FOR A WIDER MONITORING ABLE TO EVALUATE THE POSSIBLE USE OF SUCH A PROTEIN AS A DIAGNOSTIC MARKER.