OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cytokeratins (CK) in the normal human gingival epithelium and to explore the difference between junctional epithelium (JE), oral epithelium (OE) and sulcular epithelium (SE).

METHODSTeeth specimens with gingival tissue were collected from 5 people. Paraffin-embedded sections were stained with monoclonal antibodies responded respectively to human CK5/6, 7, 8/18, 10/13, 16, 17, 19, 20.

RESULTSCK7 and 17 was not expressed in all strata of JE, OE and SE. CK5/6 and 20 were weekly or moderately expressed in the suprabasal, and not expressed in the basal layer of all three epithelia. CK10/13 and 16 were positive in all strata of JE and in the suprabasal layers of OE and SE. CK10/13 was moderately to strongly expressed and CK16 was weekly to moderately expressed. The staining for CK19 was intense in all strata of JE and the basal layer of OE and SE. There was a remarkable demarcation between JE and SE. The pattern of CK8/18 expression was similar to that of CK19, but was weaker. Besides the basal layer, some suprabasal layers close to the basal layer were stained.

CONCLUSIONSJE is an unique non-differentiated stratified epithelium different from OE and SE. CK19 would be a histological marker and CK10/13, 16 would be the cellular markers to differentiate JE from OE and SE.

Epithelial Attachment ; cytology ; metabolism ; Gingiva ; metabolism ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the expression and relationship of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in normal oral mucosa, oral leukoplakia (OLK), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This work also analyzed the relationship between expression levels and clinical factors. This study evaluated the clinical value of LC3B and mTOR as indices to determine the carcinogenic potential of OLK. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of LC3B and mTOR in 20 cases of normal oral mucosa, 120 cases of OLK, and 30 cases of OSCC. The clinical data of 120 patients with OLK were analyzed. The relationships between expression levels and clinical factors were investigated. RESULTS: In normal oral mucosa, OLK and OSCC, the positive rates of LC3B expression were 85.0%, 65.8% and 33.3% (P<0.05), whereas the positive rates of mTOR expression were 20.0%, 48.3% and 76.7% (P<0.05). The expression levels of LC3B and mTOR were correlated and related to clinical typing of OLK (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS LC3B and mTOR can be used as molecular biomarkers for early detection of OLK.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukoplakia, Oral ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mouth Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of stromal CD34 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) in oral invasive cancer.

METHODSThe distribution and expression of stromal CD34 and alpha-SMA in 60 patients with invasive oral squamous cell cancer and 20 resections with tumor-free margins from 60 patients with invasive oral squamous cell cancer were examined by immunohistochemistry SP method.

RESULTSTwenty cases of resections of mucosa with tumor-free margins exhibited CD34 expression in fibrocytes cytoplasm in the vicinity of vessels, mucosa and submucosa but were free of alpha-SMA expression, only the walls of muscularized vessels stained positive for alpha-SMA in the stroma. Sixty invasive oral squamous cell carcinomas were free of stromal CD34 expression, only the endothelia of small vessels stained positive for CD34, of which 53 invasive oral squamous cell carcinomas expressed stromal alpha-SMA in myofibroblasts cytoplasm.

CONCLUSIONSThe detection of CD34 and alpha-SMA is an adjunctive tool in judging oral cancer invasion in small oral mucosa biopsy specimens based on the absence of CD34 expression paralleled by the gain of alpha-SMA in the stroma of oral invasive cancer.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of STR genotyping from trace epithelial cells on fountain pen and to discuss the impact of conservation time on DNA typing. METHODS: Seven fountain pens were separately used by each of the 17 volunteers 20 minutes per day for a month and then were preserved on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28. DNA was extracted from the epithelial cells on fountain pen by silicon bead and was genotyped by Identifier kit. The corresponding control samples were buccal swabs of the above volunteers. The detectable numbers of loci were counted for assessment. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in the DNA genotyping by detectable numbers of gene loci between buccal swabs and epithelial cells on fountain pen of different conservation times (P < 0.01). The differences of detectable numbers of loci between the epithelial cells on fountain pen preserved on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28 and the corresponding oral swabs were also statistically significant (P < 0.01). More than 12 loci could be successfully genotyped in 41.2% samples from the epithelial cells on fountain pen if the tests were performed within 24 hours. CONCLUSION The trace epithelial cells on fountain pen can be used as biological samples for personal identification, but the conservation time would have influence on the results of DNA genotyping.
Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Forensic Medicine ; Genotype ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats/genetics* ; Mouth Mucosa/cytology* ; Skin/cytology*

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to reveal the relations between expression and tumor behavior such as invasion, metastasis and prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) through analyzing the expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (UPA).

METHODSWith Labelled streptavidin biotin method (LsAB), the expression of UPA was analyzed in 80 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma, 10 cases of oral normal mucosa and 10 cases of oral leukoplakia.

RESULTSCompared to oral normal mucosa and oral leukoplakia, the expression of UPA was significantly higher in SCC. The expression of UPA in SCC cases with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than in cases without metastasis. The expression in cases with good prognosis was significantly higher than in those with poor prognosis and the expression was significantly higher in cases with invasive growth than in those with ulcerative and papillary growth.

CONCLUSIONThe results obtained indicated that high expression of UPA in SCC might be closely related to lymph node metastasis, invasive growth and poor prognosis.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Leukoplakia, Oral ; metabolism ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Prognosis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of cytokeratin 19 during oral carcinogenesis.

METHODS53 specimens including normal oral mucosa, oral epithelial hyperplasia, oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma were investigated by immunohistochemistry, SDS-PAGE and Western blotting.

RESULTSCK19 was detectable in suprabasal cell layers in epithelial dysplasia and in oral cancer, especially in poor-differentiated cancerous cells. With the lesions getting worse, the positive rate, the intensity and the constituent ratio of CK19 raised significantly.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that the CK19 expression in suprabasal cell layers of oral mucosa can be used as a marker of diagnosis of oral precancerous lesions and CK19 expression is the initial events during oral carcinogenesis.

Adult ; Aged ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Precancerous Conditions ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo examine the expression of TGF-beta1, Smad7 and cell apoptosis in oral lichen planus (OLP) and to evaluate the possible pathogenesis of oral lichen planus.

METHODSImmunohistochemical technique was used to study the expression of TGF-beta1 and Smad7 in the epithelia cells of 17 OLP cases and 7 normal oral mucosa (NOM). TUNEL was used for detecting the cell apoptosis in 17 OLP cases and 7 NOM.

RESULTSTGF-beta1 was moderately positive in the epithelia cells of OLP. All the epithelia cells in OLP showed strong cytoplasmic staining. The expression of TGF-beta1 and Smad7 were significantly increased in OLP compared with that in NOM (P < 0.05). Cell apoptotic index (AI) was remarkably increased in epithelia cells in OLP cases, and the cell apoptosis was localized in basal and suprabasal epithelial layers. There was a positive correlation between TGF-beta1 expression and cell apoptosis in the epithelia of OLP (r = 0.69, P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHigh expression of TGF-beta1 and Smad7 in the epithelia of OLP suggests that TGF-beta1-Smad7 signal pathway was disturbed in oral lichen planus. The imbalance of TGF-beta1-Smad7 pathway may contribute to the mechanisms of cell apoptosis of epithelial cells in OLP.

Apoptosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Epithelium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lichen Planus, Oral ; metabolism ; Male ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Smad7 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of MMP-2, MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 in the carcinogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP).

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of OLP and compare with that of NOM.

RESULTSThe expression of these proteinases significantly increased from NOM, non-atrophic OLP, to atrophic OLP and OSCC. The expression of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP in atrophic OLP was significantly higher than in non-atrophic OLP. Furthermore, the expression of TIMP-2 consequently increased with the increasing of the MMP, but the increase of TIMP-2 was less than that of MMP.

CONCLUSIONSMMP may be useful marker to judge the possibility of malignant change of OLP.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lichen Planus, Oral ; metabolism ; pathology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of physicochemical properties of drug on its permeability through buccal mucosa.

METHODSBenzoic acid, caffeine and hydrocortisone were selected as model drugs and their permeability coefficients through isolated porcine buccal mucosa were determined.

RESULTThe permeability coefficients of benzoic acid, caffeine and hydrocortisone through isolated porcine buccal mucosa were (1.01 x 10(-4)+/-1.64 x 10(-5))cm.s(-1)ì(2.75 x 10(-5)+/-1.79 x 10(-6))cm.s(-1) and (2.49 x 10(-5)+/-6.32 x 10(-6))cm.s(-1), which were 14,989 and 389 times as those through human skin, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe permeability of drugs through buccal mucosa seems to be much better than that through human skin.

Animals ; Benzoic Acid ; pharmacokinetics ; Caffeine ; pharmacokinetics ; Hydrocortisone ; pharmacokinetics ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mouth Mucosa ; metabolism ; Permeability ; drug effects ; Swine

OBJECTIVE: To seek simple and cost-effective extraction technique to improve multiplex STR amplification from minimal oral epithelial cell samples. METHODS: One hundred DNA samples of oral epithelial cells extracted by mini system Chelex-100 method were quantitated by ABI 7500 Real Time System and were then typed with Identifiler system in ABI 3130 Genetic Analyzer. RESULTS: The DNA contents of different categories of samples were as followings: suck pipes (0.72-116.78 ng), cup edges (2.15-142.5 ng), mouths of drink bottle (1-34.65 ng), chopsticks (3.35-26.6 ng), fruit cores (0.294-21.4 ng), and poultry bones (0.88-5.88 ng). The mean successful typing rate for gender and more than 9 STR loci was about 59.38%. Except the addition or no addition of proteinase K to the samples, all other factors-C users' variation, sample extraction methods, and qualities and properties of the samples had considerable effects on the contents of extracted DNA. CONCLUSION Successful STR typing can be achieved in about 60% minimal oral epithelial cell DNA samples extracted by mini Chelex system.
DNA/analysis* ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Mouth Mucosa/cytology* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction