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The oral cavity contains a wide spectrum of HPV types predominantly from the β-HPV and γ-HPV genera, which were previously considered to be cutaneous types. These results could have significant implications for understanding the biology of HPV and the epidemiological associations of HPV with oral and skin neoplasia.

Podoplanin (PDPN) is a unique transmembrane receptor that promotes tumor cell motility. Indeed, PDPN may serve as a chemotherapeutic target for primary and metastatic cancer cells, particularly oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells that cause most oral cancers. Here, we studied how a monoclonal antibody (NZ-1) and lectin (MASL) that target PDPN affect human OSCC cell motility and viability. Both reagents inhibited the migration of PDPN expressing OSCC cells at nanomolar concentrations before inhibiting cell viability at micromolar concentrations. In addition, both reagents induced mitochondrial membrane permeability transition to kill OSCC cells that express PDPN by caspase independent nonapoptotic necrosis. Furthermore, MASL displayed a surprisingly robust ability to target PDPN on OSCC cells within minutes of exposure, and significantly inhibited human OSCC dissemination in zebrafish embryos. Moreover, we report that human OSCC cells formed tumors that expressed PDPN in mice, and induced PDPN expression in infiltrating host murine cancer associated fibroblasts. Taken together, these data suggest that antibodies and lectins may be utilized to combat OSCC and other cancers that express PDPN.

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Although cutaneous psoriasis is common, the existence of its manifestations in the oral cavity has been questioned. The definitive diagnosis of oral psoriasis can be challenging due to the variability of presentations, and overlapping clinical and histological features with a number of other conditions as well as the lack of consensus. We review oral psoriasis, noting its variable clinical appearance, delineate the differential diagnosis, and discuss management strategies.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an important mucocutaneous neoplasm with four well-known clinicopathologic types. Involvement of the oral cavity may be seen in all variants but is most common with AIDS-KS. The latter may signal undiagnosed HIV infection. Its common association with disseminated disease has potentially important diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Oral KS (OKS) most often affects the hard and soft palate, gingiva, and dorsal tongue with plaques or tumors of coloration ranging from non-pigmented to brownish-red or violaceous. Its involvement ranges from an incidental finding to proliferative tumor formation that interferes with mastication. OKS needs to be distinguished clinically from other entities, including pyogenic granuloma, hemangioma, bacillary angiomatosis, and gingival enlargement caused by cyclosporine, a drug frequently used in recipients of organ transplantation. KS may flare as part of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV patients or develop in the context of iatrogenic immunosuppression. Management, which may depend upon a variety of factors including the clinicopathologic type of KS and results of staging, ranges from no treatment to local measures such as intralesional vinblastine or systemic administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy for disseminated disease. Modification of immunosuppressive regimens often helps control post-transplant OKS but enhances the risk of graft rejection. Screening donors and recipients of organ transplants for HHV-8, with prophylactic treatment if infected as well as institution of sirolimus early after transplantation, are proposed strategies aimed at preventing post-transplant OKS.

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