odontogenic cysts; odontogenic tumors; Sonic Hedgehog pathway.
Odontogenic cysts and tumors represent two lesions heterogeneous groups that affect the gnathic bones with their histogenesis related to the epithelial remnants and/or ectomesenchymal of the odontogenesis. The pathogenesis of most of these lesions remains uncertain, which is why they are the subject of numerous investigations. In the studies performed, the involvement of several molecular signaling pathways was observed in some of these odontogenic lesions, especially those derived from the odontogenic epithelium. Among the analyzed pathways whose dysregulation is proving important for the development of these lesions, the Sonic Hedgehog pathway stands out. This pathway plays an important role in the embryonic development of the dental organ and is mutated in some cancers. Thus, this study aims to analyze and compare the expression of proteins involved in the Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway (SHH, SMO and GLI-1) in more aggressive benign epithelial odontogenic lesions (ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst) as well as in indolent behavioral lesion (adenomatoid odontogenic tumor), in order to better understand the role of these proteins in the development and behavior of these lesions.