Immunoexpression of SOX-2 in oral leukoplakia.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to correlate and compare the immunoexpression of sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX-2) in oral leukoplakia (OL) lesions with that in normal buccal mucosa (control). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this observational study, OL with low-risk (n = 34) and high-risk (n = 33) dysplasia and control samples (n = 25) were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for SOX-2. In the epithelium, SOX-2 positive and negative cells, as well as semiautomatic segmentation of the immunopositive nuclear area were counted. Statistical tests included chi-square, one-way analysis of variance, Tukey, and Games-Howell. The level of significance was 5%. RESULTS: Groups with OL lesions (low and high-risk) showed higher mean numbers of SOX-2 positive cells (63.47 ± 25.70 and 68.18 ± 21.17) compared to the control group (45.85 ± 27.38) (p = 0.00). Groups with OL lesions (low and high-risk) exhibited higher mean positive nuclear area (0.24 ± 0.47 and 1.09 ± 2.06) compared to the control group (0.00 ± 0.01) (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Oral leukoplakia lesions showed a higher expression of SOX-2, suggesting its contribution to the pathogenesis of OL.

Sialolithiasis in the duct of submandibular gland: a case report in patient with epidermolysis bullosa.

AIM: To describe the options of treatment to remove a sialolith associated with the submandibular gland duct in a patient with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). BACKGROUND: Treatment of patients with EB is very complex and involves a multidisciplinary team. This condition is characterized by a spectrum of blistering and mechanical fragility of the skin. One main feature of this disease is the esophageal constriction and possible constriction to the submandibular duct. This alteration may induce the formation of calculi in this duct, which is called sialolith. Once the sialolith obliterates the trajectory of the duct this will lead to a sialolithiasis. The calculi have to be removed. CASE REPORT: Seventeen years old female patient with dystrophic EB developed a sialolith at the submandibular duct. She has a limited mouth opening and her tongue was collapsed with mouth floor. The first choice of treatment was the lithotripsy, once this procedure is less invasive and a surgical remove could worse the collapsed tongue. She was with acute pain and with a great augmentation in the submandibular area. Once the patient was debilitated and has difficult to swallow she invariably needed to be hospitalized in order to receive intravenous medication. During the hospitalization the sialolith could be seen through the opening of the duct and the calculi was removed with local anesthesia. CONCLUSION: The treatment of sialolithiasis usually does not present major challenges, nevertheless if the sialolithiasis is associated with EB, the treatment became an extremely challenge. In this particular case the option of treatment was the less invasive. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This case report has an enormous clinical relevance once there is no protocol to treat patients with EB and buccal diseases.

MMP-1 and MMP-8 expression in giant-cell fibroma and inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia.

The aim of this study is to compare the immunoexpression of metalloproteinases 1 and 8 in giant-cell fibroma, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia and normal mucosa. Twenty-two cases of giant-cell fibroma, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia and oral mucosa (control) each were subjected to immunohistochemistry using anti-metalloproteinase-1 and anti-metalloproteinase-8 antibodies. Eight images of each case were captured and analysed through the a) application of a count grid to count the number of positive neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, plasma cells, fibroblasts and blood vessels to obtain the percentage of staining and b) semi-automated segmentation quantifying the stained area in square micrometres. Statistical tests included ANOVA Two-way, Kruskal Wallis and Games-Howell, with a significance level of 5%. An increased percentage of metalloproteinase-1-immunopositive blood vessels were observed in giant-cell fibroma (26.6±22.4; p=0.02) and inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (34.3±31.5; p=0.01) compared with the control group (19.6±9.2). No significant differences in inflammatory cells, fibroblasts and total area of metalloproteinase-1 and -8 were noted among the three groups. Metalloproteinase-1 apparently acts within the pathogenesis of giant-cell fibroma and inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia.