CD133 Role in Oral Carcinogenesis

Area of Science:

• Oral pathology
• Cancer biology
• Immunohistochemistry

Background:

• Oral epithelial dysplasias (OEDs) and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) represent a spectrum of oral potentially malignant disorders.
• CD133 is a cell surface glycoprotein implicated as a cancer stem cell marker in various malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate CD133 immunoexpression in OEDs and OSCCs.
• To explore the role of CD133 in oral malignant transformation and biological behavior.

Main Methods:

• Immunohistochemistry was performed on 15 OSCC and 15 OED tissue samples using CD133 antibody.
• Quantitative analysis assessed the number of CD133-immunostained cells.

Main Results:

• All OSCC and OED samples exhibited positive CD133 immunostaining, with no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.283).
• No statistical difference was found between the degree of dysplasia and CD133+ cell count (p = 0.899).
• Nuclear and cytoplasmic CD133 immunostaining intensified with the progression of the malignant process.

Conclusions:

• CD133 immunoexpression is present in both OEDs and OSCCs.
• The cellular localization of CD133, combined with histopathological criteria, may offer insights into oral carcinogenesis.
• Further investigation into CD133's role could aid in understanding oral lesion progression.