Search

Objective: To investigate the relationship between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), neovascularization, and tumor cell migration in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) of an African subpopulation. Materials and Methods: Twenty OSCC paraffin blocks underwent immunohistochemistry to TAM1 (CCR7), TAM2 (CD206), Twist, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and CD34. The relative percentage of CCR7 + and CD206 + cells to overall immune cell population was calculated for three high power fields and an average was taken. TAM-related microvessel density (MVD) was determined as the mean of the three recorded values. Cases that had no CD34 + vessels adjacent to the TAMs region were regarded as having an MVD score of 0. Results: Ten cases (50%) expressed greater CCR7 activity than CD206, seven cases (35%) expressed approximately equal activity of CCR7 and CD206, while three cases (15%) expressed greater activity of CD206 than CCR7. Twist expression was strong in some cases with strong N-cadherin and weak E-cadherin, but the expression of Twist was not consistently high in all cases that expressed strong N-cadherin and weak E-cadherin. Conclusions: TAMs distribution suggested antitumor activity and the potential for tumor metastasis was only partly due to Twist-mediated epithelial–mesenchymal transition., Objectif: Étudier la relation entre les macrophages associés à la tumeur (TAM), la néovascularisation et la migration des cellules tumorales dans le carcinome épidermoïde oral (OSCC) d'une sous-population africaine. Matériaux et méthodes: Vingt blocs de paraffines OSCC ont subi une immunohistochimie à TAM1 (CCR7), TAM2 (CD206), Twist, E-cadhérine, N-cadhérine et CD34. Le pourcentage relatif de cellules CCR7+ et CD206+ dans la population globale de cellules immunitaires a été calculé pour 3 champs de puissance élevée et une moyenne prise. La densité de microvaisseaux (MVD) liée aux TAM a été déterminée comme la moyenne des trois valeurs enregistrées. Les cas qui n'avaient pas de navires CD34+ adjacents à la région des TAM étaient considérés comme ayant un score MVD de 0. Résultats: Dix cas (50%) ont exprimé une plus grande activité CCR7 que CD206, 7 cases (35%) ont exprimé une activité approximativement égale de CCR7 et CD206, tandis que 3 cas (15%) ont exprimé une plus grande activité de CD206 que CCR7. L'expression de la Twist était forte dans certains cas avec une N-cadhérine forte et une E-cadhérine faible, mais l'expression de la Twist n'était pas toujours élevée dans tous les cas, ce qui exprimait une N-cadhérine forte et une E-cadhérine faible. Conclusions: La distribution des TAM a suggéré une activité antitumorale et le potentiel de métastases tumorales était seulement dû à l'EMT à effet de Twist.

Background: It is occasionally difficult to distinguish the stellate reticulum-like region of ameloblastoma from the fibrous connective tissue stroma. This difficulty is further pronounced in the plexiform variant of ameloblastoma that has very sparse fibrous connective tissue. Aim: To test the utility of Azan trichrome stain in marking tumour regions and the peri-tumour environment of ameloblastoma. Materials and Methods: Sections were prepared for 18 formalin fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of ameloblastoma cases and stained with Azan trichrome stain according to the manufacturer's specification. Results and Conclusions: The tumour areas were stained mostly brown, with the ameloblasts mainly marked as deep brown while the stellate reticulum-like region was light brown. The structures in the peri-tumour region were marked with different shades of blue. Azan trichrome staining was able to distinguish between the fibrous connective tissue and the stellate reticulum-like areas in 100% of the cases.

Introduction: ameloblastoma is a slow growing, painless odontogenic swelling which can attain sizes that result in severe deformities of the craniofacial complex. It is the most commonly encountered odontogenic tumor in Nigeria. Surgical intervention is currently the method of treatment; however identification of altered molecular pathways may inform chemotherapeutic potential. The Protein Patched homolog 1 (PTCH-1) is overexpressed in ameloblastoma. Also, mutation in the MDM2 gene can reduce the tumor suppressor function of p53 and promote ameloblastoma growth. No study however has characterized the molecular profile of African cases of ameloblastoma with a view to developing chemotherapeutic alternatives. The objective was to characterize the PTCH-1 genetic profile of Ameloblastoma in Nigerian patients as a first step in investigating its potential for chemotherapeutic intervention. Methods: twenty-eight FFPE blocks of ameloblastoma cases from Nigerian patients were prepared for antibody processing to PTCH-1 (Polyclonal Anti-PTCH antibody ab39266) and MDM2 (Monoclonal Anti-MDM2 antibody (2A10) ab16895). Cytoplasmic brown staining was considered as positive for PTCH while nuclear staining was positive for MDM2. Results: moderate and strong expressions for PTCH in ameloblast and stellate reticulum were 78.6% and 60.7% respectively. Only 3 (10.7%) cases expressed MDM2. Conclusion: the importance of our study is that it supports, in theory, anti-PTCH/SHH chemotherapeutics for Nigerian ameloblastoma cases and also infers the possible additional use of anti-p53 agents.