Comparative evaluation of podoplanin in odontogenic cysts and tumours to determine their proliferative potential—An immunohistochemical study

CONTEXT: Odontogenic cysts and tumours are a wide array of complex pathological entities ranging from mild indolent to aggressive detrimental in nature, which occur as a result of anomalous alterations in normal odontogenesis. Hence, these odontogenic lesions need to be evaluated extensively by using potential immunohistochemical markers. AIM: To evaluate and compare the expression of podoplanin, a lymphoendothelial IHC marker in odontogenic cysts and odontogenic tumours to determine their proliferative potential. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: All the study samples were retrieved from the archives of the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, PIDS&RC, Hyderabad. The study samples were selected as per the standard histopathological diagnostic criteria and subjected for IHC analysis using podoplanin. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Seventy paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of OKC, OOC, dentigerous cyst (DC) and ameloblastoma (AM) include study sample, which were stained with podoplanin IHC marker and staining properties were evaluated. All the cases were categorized as high, moderate, weak or negatively reactive on the basis of the composite scoring. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 14, and then results were compared by ANOVA post hoc test and Kruskal Wallis Test. RESULTS: In the comparison of composite scores of OKCs and AM, there was no significant statistical difference. CONCLUSION: The present study contributes to the significant association of podoplanin expression with cellular proliferation, cystic expansion and local invasiveness of odontogenic cysts and tumours through cytoskeletal reorganization and cell migration.