An indirect immunofluorescence study in different grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma

It is well known that malignant cells may exhibit profound alteration on their cell surface proteins, which can be localized by employing certain markers either by immunofluorescence or by immunohistochemistry. These markers are of great value in establishing the diagnosis and predicting the true biological potential more accurately than conventional histology. Objective: In the present study an attempt has been made to demonstrate the expression of pemphigus vulgaris antigen (PVA) in different histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and methods: Tissue sections from twenty five clinically and histo-pathologically diagnosed oral squamous cell carcinoma and five normal buccal mucosa as controls were stained with pemphigus serum collected from untreated cases of pemphigus vulgaris. These were subsequently stained with fluorescein-labeled rabbit anti human IgG. Results: Deposition of IgG was evident in different grades of Oral Squamour Cell Cascinoma (OSCC) in varying intensities at inter cellular adhesion junctions. Statistical evaluation of data by using ?2 test- Yates correction for continuity revealed very highly significant (p < 0.001?2 = 28.355 test-Yates correction for continuity) relationship in the expression of this antigen and histo-pathological grades of OSCC. The control specimens in the study demonstrated the retention of PV antigen at intercellular spaces. Conclusions: The results of the study showed a significant reduction in PVA expression at invasive sites more so in poorly differentiated carcinoma. Thus an altered expression (retention or absence) in the cell surface antigen suggest a basis to develop an approach in early diagnosis of primary OSCC. Also it can be viewed that antigen deletion may be an important factor in local invasion by malignant cells