Differential expression of stem cell-like proteins in normal, hyperplastic and XXXX oral epithelium.

@entity1 @entity1697 @entity7944 @entity125 @entity8844 @entity2543 @entity28557 @entity8619 @entity6349 @entity1141
UNASSIGNED: Objective The identification of stem cells (SC) remains challenging. In the @entity1 oral mucosal epithelium, these cells are believed to be in the basal layer (stem cell niche), but their exact location is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the @entity6349 oral epithelium for these SC-like proteins in order to assess their diagnostic value as biomarkers complementing the histological grading of @entity1141 . Material and Methods Thirty @entity2543 ( @entity2543 ), 25 @entity8619 and 5 normal oral epithelium (OE) were immunohistochemically examined for four SC markers [integrin b1, neuron-glial-2 ( @entity28557 ), @entity125 ( @entity125 ) and @entity8844 ( @entity8844 )]. Results Three of four SC markers were heterogeneously detected in all samples. @entity8844 overexpression in the lower two-thirds of severe @entity2543 suggests an expanded SC niche. Integrin b1 distribution pattern was not measurably different between OEDs and control. @entity28557 was almost negative to absent in all samples examined. @entity125 expression was weak and highly variable in normal and @entity7944 , making it an unreliable epithelial stem cell marker. Conclusions Present findings suggest that these markers were unable to identify individual epithelial stem cells. Instead, subpopulations of cells, most probably stem cells and transit amplifying cells with stem cell-like properties were identified in the @entity6349 oral epithelium. The characteristic expressions of @entity8844 might be of diagnostic value for @entity1697 and should be investigated further.
