ANALYSIS OF CLIC4 AND PROTEINS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EPITHELIUM-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION IN BENIGN EPITHELIAL DENTAL LESIONS
Odontogenic tumors. Odontogenic cysts. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (TEM). E-cadherin. Vimentine. Myofibroblasts.
Odontogenic cysts and tumors comprise a group of lesions derived from cells of
the odontogenic apparatus and remnants of tissues that participate in tooth
formation, and may present an indolent or aggressive biological behavior. The
CLIC4 protein is related to cell cycle regulation, also participating in the process
of transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts that begin to express α-
SMA, this protein being important for the identification of these cells.
Mifibroblasts are capable of synthesizing and secreting products that modulate
numerous biological events such as growth, differentiation, adhesion, migration
and invasion of neoplastic cells. Studies have shown that the presence of these
cells can contribute to the induction of EMT and, consequently, to tumor
progression, showing a relationship with aggressiveness and prognosis. Thus,
the aim of this study is to investigate, through immunohistochemical analysis of
CLIC4, TGF-β, α-SMA, E-cadherin and Vimentin, whether these proteins may
act in the pathogenesis and progression of epithelial odontogenic lesions
through the differentiation of myofibroblasts and possibly in the process of
epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which may lead to a more aggressive
biological behavior.