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Presence of ghost cells and the Wnt signaling pathway in odontomas
Author(s) -
Tanaka Akio,
Okamoto Motoyoshi,
Yoshizawa Dai,
Ito Shigeru,
Alva Patricia González,
Ide Fumio,
Kusama Kaoru
Publication year - 2007
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.1600-0714.2007.00550.x
Subject(s) - wnt signaling pathway , signal transduction , pathology , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , biology
Background: Although it has been reported that ghost cells are present in odontomas, the generation mechanism of these cells is unclear. To evaluate the presence of ghost cells and involvement of the Wnt signaling pathway, we examined the expression of hard keratins, β‐catenin and Lef‐1 in odontomas. Methods: Sixty‐nine cases of odontoma were examined immunohistochemically with the use of antibodies against human hair proteins, β‐catenin and Lef‐1. Results: Expression of hard keratins was found only in the cytoplasm of ghost cells in 46 (66.7%) of the 69 odontomas. Compound odontomas (78.8%) showed a higher incidence of ghost cells than complex odontomas (29.4%). Histopathologically, ghost cells were found within odontogenic epithelium adjacent to immature enamel and in the centre of Liesegang‐ring‐like calcified materials. Expression of β‐catenin and Lef‐1 was observed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of odontogenic epithelial cells adjacent to the ghost cells in immature odontomas. Conclusion: These findings suggest that odontoma is a hard keratin‐expressing tumor‐like lesion, and that the Wnt signaling pathway may be involved in the formation of ghost cells in odontomas.