PCNA expression in epithelial linings of odontogenic cysts and unicystic ameloblastoma

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a nuclear protein synthesized in the late G1 and S phase of the cell cycle. It is a useful marker for the proliferating fraction of cells in tissue specimens. The purpose of this study was to describe the expression of PCNA within epithelial linings of odontogenic cyst and to compare the proliferative activities of these lesion using PCNA labeling indices. A total of 61 cases of odontogenic cysts and unicystic ameloblastomas (18 radicular cysts, 16 dentigerous cysts, 15 odontogenic keratocysts (OKC) an 12 unicystic ameloblastomas) was studied. It was found that PCNA staining were distributed in the basal and supra basal cells for radicular cysts, dentigerous cysts and OKCs. For unicystic ameloblastoma, the PCNA nuclei were distributed in the cells at the periphery of ameloblastomatous islands and in the centrally located stellate-reticulum cell area. PCNA labeling index was highest in OKC (22.33 ± 4.07 %). Unicystic ameloblastoma with ameloblastomatous islands in the cystic wall also showed a high index (14.22 ± 3.42%) as compared to those with cystic tumor lining. In conclusion, this result supported previous reports that OKC is the most aggressive type of odontogenic cysts and the unicystic ameloblastoma with ameloblastomatous islands is more aggressive as compared to the other types of unicystis ameloblastoma. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down