Expression of intermediate filament proteins in benign lesions of the oral mucosa

Abstract

Immunohistochemistry with monospecific antibodies was used to study the expression patterns of cytokeratins (Cks) and vimentin in non-dysplastic lesions of the oral cavity, including lichen planus and fibromas. In hyperplastic lesions, Ck expression did not deviate significantly from the normal non-keratinizing squamous epithelium of the oral cavity. Hyperkeratotic lesions showed pronounced aberrations in their Ck profile. These lesions were characterized by extended expression of the keratinization marker Ck 10, the basal cell Ck 14 and the hyperproliferation-associated Ck 16 in the suprabasal compartment. The stratification markers Cks 4 and 13 showed a decreased expression. Coexpression of Cks and vimentin was found in lesions having accumulations of inflammatory cells in the subepithelial cell layer. These changes are felt to characterize benign mucosal lesions without dysplasia and might be helpful for distinguishing these lesions from potentially malignant ones.

Inducible Activation of Oncogenic K- ras Results in Tumor Formation in the Oral Cavity

“…The restricted expression of K13 and generalized expression of the basal keratin K14 and the hyperproliferation-associated K6 in the K5Cre*-Ras oral tumors suggest that decreased differentiation and increased proliferation may contribute to tumor formation in these mice. Interestingly, similar changes in keratin expression pattern have been observed in human benign oral lesions (21), suggesting that changes in differentiation associated with oral tumors that developed in K5Cre*-Ras resemble those observed in human patients. Therefore, this mouse model may be useful in the search for novel molecular markers for early detection of oral cancer.…”

“…Alteration of the differentiation process may result in abnormal growth. Keratins constitute the major differentiation markers of stratified epithelia, and changes in the expression of keratins are associated with different stages of tumor progression in human oral tumors (21,22). To determine whether the oral tumors that developed in K5Cre*-Ras mice exhibited changes in the differentiation patterns, we stained frozen sections of the K5Cre*-Ras tumors with antibodies specific for keratins expressed in oral epithelia.…”

Cytokeratin alteration in oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma

“…Stratified epithelium is usually characterized by the expression of Ck 5 and Ck 14, mainly in the basal cell layers and is associated with the proliferative potential of these cells (2,3). The intermediary cell layers of keratinizing stratified epithelium shows an additional expression of Ck's 1 and 10, which are regarded as signs of cellular differentiation (2).…”

Evaluation of chemopreventive effects of Thymoquinone on cell surface glycoconjugates and cytokeratin expression during DMBA induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

“…It has been reported that elevated glycoconjugates are released into the circulation through increased turn over, secreation and /or shedding from malignant cells (12). Cytokeratin (CK) are the epithelial specific intermediate filament proteins, it over expression is closely linked to the epithelial tumors of stratified squamous cell origin (13). It is an sensitive marker in numerous molecular, biological, clinical and pathological studies have increased the knowledge on the alteration of cytokeratin expression in tumor biology (14).…”