ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study investigated the distribution of immature dendritic cells (DCs), Langer-hans cells and plasmacytoid DCs in oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), OSMF associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSMF-OSCC), oral leukoplakia (OL), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fourteen cases of OSMF, 9 of OSMF-OSCC, 8 of OL ̧ 45 of OSCC and 8 of normal epi-thelium were retrospectively retrieved and their diagnoses confirmed. Immunoreactions against CD1a, CD207 e CD303 were performed and the number of positive cells quantified. RESULTS: A significant decrease of CD1a+ was found in OSMF (p≤0.05), OSMF-OSCC (p ≤ 0.01), and OSCC (p ≤ 0.001) when compared to normal epithelium. For CD207+ the significance decrease was observed in OSMF-OSCC (p ≤ 0.05), and OSCC (p ≤ 0.01) when compared with normal epithelium, and in OSMF when compared with OL (p ≤ 0.05). There was no significant difference for CD303, but increased in CD303+ was observed in OSCC when compared with normal epithelium. CONCLUSION: The decrease in the number of CD1a+ and CD207+ cells may be associate to the development of oral OSCC, and in OPMDs they might be indicators of malignant transformation
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