Upregulation of Periostin expression in the pathogenesis of ameloblastoma

Ameloblastoma(AB) is an aggressive and slow-growing tumor with high recurrence rate, which arises from odontogenic epithelium. AB mostly shows osteolytic growth, but the specific pathogenesis is not yet clear. Periostin is a considered a prominent oncogene, which was mainly produced by osteoblasts and their precursors cells, it have been proved that Periostin play an important role in bone lysis. However, the precise role of Periostin in AB progression remains unknown. In this article, the surgical specimens from cases of AB were collected, and the Periostin expression was tested and the results were analyzed for possible correlations with clinical characteristics. In addition, the proliferation、cell cycle and migration of AM-1 cells were evaluated after transfection of siPeriostin. The results showed that Periostin levels were significantly higher in patients with AB than in controls. Moreover, Periostin levels in patients with AB were significantly associated with the number of disease. Furthermore, the results suggested that Periostin expression significantly promoted the proliferation and migration, in addition to cell cycle progression of AM-1 cells. The present study demonstrated that Periostin may be important in the pathogenesis and progression of AB and indicated its potential therapeutic value.