Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way
Published on: May 10, 2021
CD146 expression in oral lichen planus and oral cancer
Sarinthon Pariyawathee1, Ekarat Phattarataratip2, Kobkan Thongprasom3
1Oral Medicine Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
Objective:
To examine the CD146/METCAM expression on keratinocytes in normal oral mucosa (NOM), oral lichen planus (OLP), oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Subjects And Methods:
Immunohistochemical examination of CD146 was performed on 80 specimens, divided into 20 cases from each group. The number of CD146+ keratinocytes was quantitatively assessed together with the staining intensity.
Results:
The mean percentage of CD146+ keratinocytes was 19.04±15.32, 59.40±24.48, 60.04±28.87, and 22.13±21.03 in NOM, OLP, OED, and OSCC, respectively. The mean percentages of CD146+ keratinocytes in OLP and OED were significantly higher than those of NOM and OSCC (p≤0.001). Most OED (55%) and OLP (60%) showed strong and moderate staining intensity, respectively, while NOM (50%) and OSCC (45%) predominantly expressed CD146 at mild intensity.
Conclusions:
This is the first study to examine CD146 expression in OLP and OED. CD146 is upregulated in OLP and OED but downregulated in OSCC. The alteration in CD146 may be involved in the immunoregulatory response of OLP and the early event of oral carcinogenesis. The loss of this protein may underlie the progression of OED into invasive OSCC.
Clinical Relevance:
Overexpression of CD146 protein may play a role in the pathophysiology of OLP and OED.
Related Concept Videos
Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Oral
Weaning, typically occurring...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Sulfonylureas
Assessing Body Temperature - Oral
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...
Non-Oral Extravascular Drug Absorption Routes
Lipophilic drugs that are stable at salivary pH (6) and exhibit minimal binding to the oral mucosa are absorbed more...

