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Increased elafin expression in cystic, dysplastic and neoplastic oral tissues
Author(s) -
Robinson Philip A.,
Markham Alexander F.,
Schalkwijk Joost,
High Alec S.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1996.tb00208.x
Subject(s) - elafin , pathology , medicine , neoplastic disease , immunology
Expression of human leukocyte elastase inhibitor, elafin, otherwise known as skin‐derived antileukoproteinase inhibitor (SKALP). was investigated in normal and abnormal oral tissues using a specific anti‐SKALP rabbit antiserum. Weak staining was observed in keratinizing epithelia of normal oral mucosa but not in non‐keratinizing mucosa. Increased expression was also observed in the suprabasal layers of dysplastic oral epithelia and in well‐differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, but not in basal cell carcinoma. A uniform strong expression was observed in all supra‐basal layers of odontogenic keratocyst epithelia, except in regions where inflammatory infiltrate was adjacent to keratocyst epithelia. In contrast, elafin expression in a small number of dentigerous cysts and ameloblastomas was more patchy. The increased levels of elafin in keratocyst epithelia and dysplastic tissue may be a cellular homoeostatic response to generate a protective barrier preventing proteolytic degradation of underlying elastic tissue.