Quantitative Analysis of Progenitor Cell and Stem Cell Compartments in Normal versus Leukoplakia Affected Oral Mucosa- An Observational Study

Abstract

A B S T R A C T BACKGROUNDOral leukoplakia is a common potentially malignant disorder of the oral cavity which has the propensity to undergo malignant transformation over a period of time. Morphological alterations of the oral mucosa in the form of unscrappable white patch reflect the underlying cellular abnormalities. The available grading systems of epithelial dysplasia do not accurately predict which cases may eventually transform into malignancy. METHODSHere the characterization of stem cell and progenitor cell compartments has been done with the help of Cytokeratin 19 (K19) and c-Myc protein expression by Immunohistochemistry to evaluate the changes in normal non-keratinized oral mucosa and oral leukoplakia in population of Eastern India. RESULTSK19 expression is reduced in oral leukoplakia than normal oral mucosa with a mean value of 16.22±20.69 (Standard Deviation). However, there is no statistically significant change in c-Myc expression with a mean value of 72.66±40.34 (Standard Deviation). CONCLUSIONSThe above study reveals that the expression of K19 is significantly decreased in oral leukoplakia compared to normal oral mucosa. c-Myc expression is showing lower value than in healthy oral mucosa but this difference is not significant statistically.