Genetic and environmental contributions for the relationship between tooth loss and oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

To investigate the association between tooth loss and oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma, focusing on epidemiological factors and genetic variants.

METHODS

Case-control study, including histologically confirmed oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma cases and healthy controls. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for this association were calculated. Single-nucleotides polymorphisms were tested for individuals with and without missing teeth.

RESULTS

Case individuals were more edentulous while controls had fewer missing teeth (p = 0.006). There was an increased risk for the outcomes associated with edentulism (OR = 6.95, p = 0.000), even after adjustments for educational level (OR = 4.7, p = 0.034) and smoking habits (OR = 5.01, p = 0.022). Among individuals with tooth loss, rs1533767 (WNT11), rs3923087, and rs11867417 (AXIN2) were associated with the outcomes (OR = 1.67, p = 0.03, OR = 0.53, p = 0.05, and OR = 0.42, p = 0.00, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Tooth loss could increase the risk for oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Risk of orofacial clefts in relation to maternal body mass index, diabetes and hypertension

BACKGROUND

To investigate if maternal body mass index, diabetes and hypertension are associated with orofacial clefts.

METHODS

Case-control study. Information from 53,188 live births with and without orofacial cleft registered at USA Vital Statistics Natality Birth Data between 2017 and 2021. Case group consisted of all affected live births diagnosed with orofacial clefts (13,297 cases). Comparison group consisted of 39,891 live births without clefts or any other congenital malformation. Information about orofacial cleft cases were compared with the comparison group. The unadjusted and adjusted Odds Ratios were estimated to evaluate the strength of association between mother's pre-pregnancy body mass index, maternal diabetes and hypertension and orofacial cleft occurrence, assuming a p value < 0.05 and 95% confidence intervals (95% C.I.) for statistically significant differences.

RESULTS

Mother's pre-pregnancy body mass index, maternal diabetes and maternal hypertension are conditions associated with an increased risk of orofacial cleft development in the child (OR = 1.08, p = 0.004, 95% C.I. = 1.024-1.149; OR = 1.32, 95%, p = 0.000, 95% C.I. = 1.202-1.444; and OR = 1.35, p = 0.000, 95% C.I. = 1.239-1.484; respectively). Maternal ethnicity, sex of infant, and cigarette smoking pregnancy remained as covariates after adjustments in all logistic regression models.

CONCLUSION

Due to the increased prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, and also to their association with congenital malformations, such as clefts, it is recommended that mothers planning to become pregnant to follow healthy habits, maintain healthy weight, and be screened for possible diabetes or hypertension prior to conception and early in pregnancy.

Mast Cells and Proteins Related to Myofibroblast Differentiation (PAR-2, IL-6, and TGFβ1) in Salivary Cancers: A Preliminary Study

Salivary gland neoplasms represent an important group of cancers in the head and neck and myoepithelial cells play a key role on the development these tumors. This study evaluated the distribution of mast cells and related proteins (PAR-2, TGFβ1, IL-6) to the myofibroblastic differentiation in malignant tumors of salivary glands with and without myoepithelial differentiation. Immunohistochemical assessement for tryptase mast cells, SMA, PAR-2, TGFβ1, IL-6 was performed in 10 cases of polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma, 14 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) and 10 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma. When the density of mast cells were compared between tumors, their density was significantly higher in MEC (P=0.08). Tumors with high expression of PAR-2 (79.4%) exhibited a high density of mast cells. Myofibroblasts were more frequent in malignant tumors with low expression (<50%) of cell masts. Individual analysis of the tumors showed no significant difference between the expression of PAR-2, IL-6, TGFβ1, and myofibroblasts. When the density of mast cells, myofibroblasts and the expression of PAR-2 protein, IL-6, and TGFβ1 were compared, it was no statistically significant difference between tumors with and without myoepithelial differentiation. The results of present study suggest a possible participation of mast cells and especially of PAR-2 in the development and progression of malignant salivary cancers, regardless of myoepithelial content.

Psychological disorders and oral lichen planus: A systematic review

The aim of the present study was to identify and analyze scientific evidence available in the literature to answer the following question: Are psychological disorders associated with the development of oral lichen planus (OLP)? Using scientific databases (PubMed, LILACS, and Science Direct), a literature search was conducted between December 2016 and January 2017, using previously selected keywords. Two independent reviewers critically assessed the results in three stages, strictly obeying the inclusion and exclusion criteria defined in the study protocol. We assessed paper quality based on STROBE (Strengthening The Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology). After analysis, we selected 14 papers, of which 10 showed evidence of association between psychological disorders (in particular, stress, anxiety, and depression) and the development of OLP. The paper-quality assessment by means of STROBE showed that 13 papers presented intermediate quality and one paper presented high quality. In the present systematic review, we found an association between psychological disorders and the development of OLP.

Participation of osteoclastogenic factors in immunopathogenesis of human chronic periapical lesions

BACKGROUND

Chronic periapical lesions (CPLs) are common lesions of the oral cavity and are the result of caries, tooth fracture, iatrogenic causes, or factors causing contamination and pulp necrosis. Inflammatory cells participate in the expansion of CPLs by releasing factors that stimulate or inhibit osteolytic activity. The objective of this study was to investigate the participation of RANKL, TNF-α, cathepsin K, IL-33, and OPG in the development of radicular cysts (RCs) and periapical granulomas (PGs).

METHODS

Paraffin-embedded sections of 30 RCs and 22 PGs were submitted to immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Immunoexpression of the proteins studied was observed in the epithelium and capsule of RCs, as well as in connective tissue of PGs. The expression of the osteoclastogenic factors studied differed significantly in RCs and PGs (P < .001), with lower expression of OPG in RCs. In PGs, the lowest expression was observed for cathepsin K. Comparison of the 2 lesions showed a similar participation of RANKL and IL33, while a significant difference was observed for OPG (P < .001), TNF-α (P = .002), and cathepsin K (P = .016). No association of the expression of the proteins with lesions size was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the participation of RANKL, TNF-α, IL-33, cathepsin K, and OPG in the development of RCs and PGs, with emphasis on the highest immunoreactivity of cathepsin in RCs and TNF-α and OPG in PGs. OPG possibly determines the slower growth of PGs compared to RCs.

Líquen plano bucal e a infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C

Líquen plano (LP) é uma doença inflamatória crônica que afeta, principalmente, pele e/ou mucosas e cuja origem ainda é desconhecida. Na boca a doença é denominada de líquen plano bucal (LPB). A associação entre o LPB e a infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C (VHC) tem sido amplamente discutida na literatura, com resultados controversos. Com o propósito de verificar a associação entre o LPB e a infecção pelo VCH, foi conduzido um estudo tipo caso-controle, pareado por idade e gênero. Foram selecionados trinta indivíduos portadores de LPB, diagnosticados no Centro de Referência em Lesões Bucais da Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, que compuseram o grupo de casos, e outros trinta indivíduos provenientes da mesma população, que não apresentavam lesões bucais. Os resultados encontrados indicaram não haver associação entre o LPB e a infecção pelo VHC visto que não foram encontrados indivíduos com sorologia reagente para o vírus. Com base nos resultados do presente estudo não foi possível estabelecer a associação entre o LPB e a VHC e, portanto, sugere-se a realização de estudos longitudinais, que permitam avaliar melhor esta relação.