Mast Cells and Blood Vessels Profile in Oral Carcinogenesis: An Immunohistochemistry Study

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate angiogenesis and mast cell density in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

This was an observational, retrospective and quantitative study. The samples consisted of 60 tissue specimens from patients with squamous cell carcinoma, epithelial dysplasia and controls (n=20/group). Immunohistochemistry was performed using an anti-tryptase antibody to mast cells and anti-CD31 and anti-CD34 for blood vessels and we count the number of mast cells and determine the percentage of CD31 and CD34 antibody staining (vascular density).

The mast cells had lower density in OSCC compared to control and dysplasia (p = 0.009). In angiogenesis, the expression of CD31 showed a higher percentage of blood vessels in OSCC (p < 0.001), however, CD34 showed no difference between groups (p=0.092). The CD31 antibody presented as a high immunostaining in oral mucosa than CD34.

The increased vascularity in squamous cell carcinoma suggests that angiogenesis begins when malignant transformation starts that seems to be inversely associated with the number of mast cells.