Purpose: To investigate for the first time the immunohistochemical and mutational status of b-catenin in a mandibular case of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) and to review the immunohistochemical expression data of various markers (cytokeratins, metalloproteinases, etc) in such a lesion.
Materials and Methods:A case of follicular-type AOT in a young male patient was analyzed in regard to the immunohistochemical expression of b-catenin and mutations of the b-catenin gene (CTNNB1). Its expression is altered in some odontogenic tumors.Results: We found a strong cytoplasmic expression of b-catenin, but no molecular anomaly within the exon 3 of CTNNB1. b-catenin is considered to play a role in cell differentiation processes.
Conclusion:Our results were consistent with previous findings in ameloblastoma and malignant odontogenic tumors. However, b-catenin alterations had not been explored in AOT so far. Further studies are necessary to understand the specific regulation of b-catenin in the AOT pathogenesis. Ó