Banca de DEFESA: MARIANA CARVALHO XEREZ

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MARIANA CARVALHO XEREZ
DATE: 24/08/2023
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: PLATAFORMA REMOTA
TITLE:

IMMUNOEXPESION OF CLIC4, α-SMA, E-CADHERIN, AND VIMENTIN IN BENIGN EPITHELIAL DENTAL LESIONS

KEY WORDS:

Odontogenic tumors. Odontogenic cysts. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (TEM). E-cadherin. Vimentine. Myofibroblasts.

PAGES: 162
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Odontologia
SUMMARY:

Benign epithelial odontogenic lesions constitute a heterogeneous group of lesions that may present indolent or aggressive biological behavior. The CLIC4 protein is related to cell cycle regulation, also participating in the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts that begin to express α-SMA. Furthermore, studies have revealed that CLIC4 expression can interfere with the TEM process in neoplasms. Taking into account the heterogeneity of the biological behavior of benign epithelial odontogenic lesions and the absence of studies that have evaluated the expression of the CLIC4 protein and its action in the transdifferentiation of myofibroblasts and its possible participation in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in these lesions, this work evaluated the immunoexpression of CLIC4, α-SMA, E-cadherin, and Vimentin in ameloblastomas (AM) (n = 16), odontogenic keratocyst (n=20) and adenomatoid odontogenic tumors (AOT) (n=8). The analysis of the immunohistochemical expression of CLIC4, E-cadherin, and vimentin proteins in the epithelial component of the lesions and of CLIC4 and α-SMA in the connective tissue was performed in a semi-quantitative manner by a previously calibrated evaluator. The expression in the epithelial component of CLIC4 was analyzed separately in the nucleus and the cytoplasm, as well as the E-cadherin labeling evaluated in the membrane and the cytoplasm. Comparisons of the percentages of immunoreactivity in the groups studied were performed using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The Spearman correlation test evaluated possible correlations between the expression of CLIC4, α-SMA, E-cadherin, and Vimentin. The significance level was set at 5% (p < 0.05). Different marking patterns were observed between the analyzed groups, noting that the exclusively cytoplasmic immunoexpression of CLIC4 in the epithelial component of AM and TOA was significantly higher than that found in the epithelium of OC (p < 0.001), not demonstrating statistical significance between AM and TOA. Immunoexpression (nuclear and cytoplasmic) of CLIC4 in the CO epithelial lining was significantly higher than that found in the epithelial component of AM and TOA (p < 0.001). CLIC4 stromal immunoexpression was significantly higher in AM (p = 0.009) and CO (p = 0.004) than in TOA. α-SMA immunoexpression is significantly higher in AM (p = 0.016) and CO (p = 0.034) when compared to TOA. The membrane immunoexpression of E-cadherin in CO was significantly higher than that found in AM (p = 0.009) and TOA (p = 0.024). A greater immunoexpression of E-cadherin (membrane and cytoplasmic) was observed in OCs when compared to AM and TOAs (p < 0.001). Cytoplasmic E-cadherin expression was significantly higher in AM and TOA compared to OC. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in the immunoexpression of vimentin between AM cases and TOA and CO cases (p = 0.038; p < 0.001, respectively), as well as between TOA and CO (p < 0.001). The correlations tested between the scores of the proteins studied showed that in the AM group, it was possible to show a moderate positive and statistically significant correlation (r = 0.527; p = 0.036) between the cytoplasmic expression of CLIC4 and the cytoplasmic expression of E-cadherin. A weak positive and statistically significant correlation (r = -0.499; p = 0.049) was also verified between the nucleus-cytoplasmic expression of CLIC4 and the cytoplasmic expression of E-cadherin in AM. In addition, a moderate positive and statistically significant correlation (r = 0.648; p = 0.007) between stromal CLIC4 expression and α-SMA expression in AM and OC. Finally, a strong negative and statistically significant correlation (r = -0.813; p < 0.001) was observed between E-cadherin and vimentin expression in AM. The results of this study suggest a potential involvement of CLIC4 in the process of transdifferentiation of myofibroblasts and that the presence of these cells is more frequently associated with lesions with more aggressive biological behavior such as AM and CO, in addition to a possible role of this protein in regulating the cell cycle and MET in the lesions studied.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1258707 - ANTONIO DE LISBOA LOPES COSTA
Interna - 350485 - HEBEL CAVALCANTI GALVAO
Externo à Instituição - MANUEL ANTONIO GORDON NUNEZ - UEPB
Externa à Instituição - MARIA DE LOURDES SILVA DE ARRUDA MORAIS - UERN
Interno - 2859541 - PEDRO PAULO DE ANDRADE SANTOS