The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of c-fos and c-jun expression in the odontogenic cysts. For thisstudy, 20 subjects of odontoenic dysts: 8 subjects of keratocysts and 12 subjects of periodontal cysts referred to theDept. of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, were used as experimental group, and 5 subjects ofnormal oral mucosa without any inflammatory changes. were used as control groups respectively. All the tissues of experimentaland control group were fixed in neutral formalin solution and embedded in paraffin, serial tissue section weremade 5㎛ in thickness and processed in the standard way for immunohistochemical method, using primary antibodies, forc-fos, c-jun was diluted at 1:100 each, followed by the super sensitive non-biotin horse radish peroxidase system withDAB as chromogen application, counter stained with Gill's hematoxylin stainmethod, mounted. And examined under thebiologic microscope with the criteria of -(no epithelial stain), +(weak or focal epithelial stain), ++(moderate or focal intensiveepithelial stain), +++(intense generalized epithelial staining) for the epithelial, and stromal tissues on each.Attained results as follows. In normal oral mucosa, it is noted that moderate positive responses in cytoplasm and nucleito c-fos and c-jun protein on each.. In the responses to c-fos, c-jun protein, moderate positive responses in nuclei andcytoplasms of the epithelial lining in keratocysts and periodontal cysts, but more intense reaction is noted on the periodontalcyst compare to that on the keratocysts. In the responses to c-fos, c-jun, it is noted that more intense responsesin odontogenic cyst compare to that in the oral mucosa. In the responses to c-fos and c-jun on submucoas oforal normal mucosa, focal epithelial stain was noted. and more intensive reaction was noted on the odontogenic cysts,most in periodontal cysts. This results suggests that c-fos and c-jun protein effected on the induction of developmentand growth of the cysts

Combined epithelial odontogenic tumors are very rare and represent hybrid lesion comprising adenomatoid odontogenictumor intermixed with calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor. The authors present 3 cases of combined epithelial odontogenictumor which contained diagnostic areas for both adenomatoid odontogenic tumor and calcifying epithelial odontogenictumor. Their behaviour and histogenesis were discussed.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of periodontal disease to self-reported history of stroke in theelderly(60 years of age and older) with a special emphasis on elderly women. Data from the Third National Health andNutrition Examination Survey(NHANES III), a large population-based cross-sectional survey of the United States, were utilizedfor this study. Since we have 1,563 edentulous subjects from a total of 5,123 subjects and periodontal disease is a majorcause of tooth loss, it was necessary to account for this in our statistical analysis. Hence, we developed a new index calledthe Periodontal Health Status(PHS) index. In the logistic regression models with stratification by gender, males did not showstatistically significant relationship between Periodontal Health Status(PHS) and stroke history. In contrast, females showedsome marginal association between Periodontal Health Status(PHS) and stroke history. Further longitudinal interventionstudies need to be conducted to determine the temporal relationship between periodontal disease and stroke.

Annexin I plays an important role in the process of keratinization as a compont of the cornified envelope of skinepithelium. The effect of annexin I on the terminal ifferentiation of normal human oral keratinocyte(NHOK) have remainedto be defined. To understand the role of annexin I on the terminal differentiaiton of NHOK, NHOK and NHEK cells wereprimarily cultured in KBM bullet kit. When the cells reached confluence, terminal differentiation was induced by switchingthe medium to KGM bullet kit containing 1.2mM Ca2+. Preconfluency of NHOK under 0.05mM Ca++ conc as control groupwas used. The cells was examined with inverted microscope. Under 0.05mM Ca++ conc(Precon, Postcon), and 1.2mM Ca++conc(Postcon), RT-PCR for annexin I mRNA measurement, and immunoblotting for annexin I protein measurements in triplicate,respectively. The purpose of this study were to study differential mRNA & protein expression of annexin I betweenNHOK & NHEK by using RT-PCR & immunoslot blotting during terminal differentiation, and to apply these results to studya role of annexin I on epithelial differentiation of oral mucosal diseases in the future. Cultured NHEK showed larger area ofcellular stratification than cultured NHOK in 1.2mM Ca ++ concentration. Annexin I mRNA and protein expression of culturedNHOK showed higher than that of cultured NHEK in higher calcium concentration. Annexin I mRNA and protein expressionof cultured NHOK showed about 2-2.7 fold higher in 1.2mM Ca++ conc. than in 0.05mM Ca++ conc. Although annexinI was involved in the terminal differentiation of cultured NHOK & NHEK in higher calcium concentration, annexin Iplay an important role in the terminal differentiation of cultured NHOK in higher calcium concentration. From the abovingresults, It was suggested that annexin I would play an important role in the terminal differentiation of NHOK in higher calcium,which be helpful to study epithelial differentiation of oral mucosal diseases.

Hereditary dentin defects consist of dentin dysplasia(DD) and dentinogenesis imperfecta(DI). The DI associated with osteogenesisimperfecta has been classified as DI type I, whereas isolated inherited defects have been categorized as DI types IIand III. However, whether DI type III should be considered a distinct phenotype or a variation of DI type II is debatable.Recent genetic findings have focused attention on the role of the dentin sialophosphoprotein(DSPP) gene in the etiology ofinherited defects of tooth dentin. We have identified a novel mutation(c.727G → A, p.D243N) at the 243th codon of exon 4 ofthe DSPP gene in a Korean patient with DI type III. The radiographic and histologic features of the patient revealed theclassic phenotype of shell teeth. These findings suggest that DI type II and III are not separate diseases but rather the phenotypicvariation of a single disease.

In order to perform the protein analysis using the paraffin sections previous fixed with formalin, we applied theImmunoMemBlot (IMB) method1) to detect the epitopes of target proteins with specific antibodies. In this study the proteinextracts were obtained from the paraffin sections of each representative case of ameloblastoma, adenomatoid odontogenictumor (AOT), and normal gingiva, and more a protein extract from fresh tissue of ameloblastoma was also compared toevaluate the IMB results used with 24 different antibodies. First of all, in the comparison between the paraffin section extractand fresh tissue extract of ameloblastoma, the latter consistently showed more positive IMB reaction than the former.Meanwhile, the paraffin section extract of ameloblastoma was more comparable with that of normal gingival, disclosing thatmost of proliferating genes, oncogenes, and apoptosis related genes, i.e., PCNA, CDK4, c-erbB2, CEA, p53, Bax, Bad, FLIP,FAS, Bcl-2, p21, N-ras, MMP-2, MMP-9, caspase-3, -8, -9, were highly expressed in ameloblastoma, but EGFR, HGF, andVEGF were similarly expressed both in the ameloblastoma and in normal human gingiva. On the other hand, the comparisonbetween ameloblastoma and AOT both in the immunohistochemistry and IMB using their paraffin section extracts clearlydemonstrated that the ameloblastoma showed more expression of proliferating genes and oncogenes while the AOT showedmore expression of apoptosis related genes, i.e., Bax, Bad, FLIP, and caspase-9. Taken together, these data suggest thatthe IMB can be used for the primary screening of quantitative protein analysis using the paraffin section extract, and thatthe IMB results could be evaluated in conjunction with the immunohistochemical observation.

Polo-Like Kinase(PLK) is a cell cycle-regulated, cyclin-independent serine/threonine protein kinase. Recent reports haveshown a critical role for PLK during tumorigenesis. To explore whether PLK plays a general role as a tumor marker of oralsquamous cell carcinomas, we examined the expression of PLK mRNA and protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells andimmortalized normal oral keratinocytes(INOK). We also investigated that PLK mRNA was expressed in specimens from4NQO-induced SD rat tongue carcinomas using in situ RT-PCR methods. Immunocytochemically, most of the PLK was highlyexpressed in the nucleus of carcinoma cells, but not INOK. RT-PCR revealed PLK1 mRNA was detected in the FaDu and Hep2cancer cells, but no detected in the INOK. In situ RT-PCR revealed PLK1 mRNA expression increased sequentially from hyperplasiato dysplasia, and squamous cell carcinoma during the malignant progression. PLK1 expression could reflect the degreeof malignancy and proliferation in oral squamous cell carcinomas. Thus, in addition to being of diagnostic value, modulationof PLK1 activity in the tumors by chemotherapeutic agents or gene therapy may prove to be of therapeutic value.

The tumor suppressor gene, phosphate and tensin homologue(PTEN) has been shown to dephosphorylate the phosphatidylinositol3-kinase(PI 3-K)-generated phosphatidylinositol(3-5)-triphosphate in vivo, thus interfering with the potentiallyoncogenic signals emanating from PI 3-K. Promoter hypermethylation of CpG islands has recently been shown to be an epigeneticchange resulting in loss of function in some genes involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair.Immunohistochemal staining for monoclonal antibody 6H2.1 was performed from paraffin embedded blocks of 20 benign epitheliallesions and 40 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas(HNSCCs). Immunoreactivity was graded semiquantitatively byconsidering the percentage and intensity of the staining of the tumor cells. Also, this study tried to identify PTEN methylationin benign epithelial lesions(24 cases) and HNSCCs(44 cases of paraffin embedded blocks, 4 cases of frozen tissues) usingmethylation-specific PCR(MSP). In HNSCCs, immunoreactive scores of stage 1 and 2(12 cases, average score 85.2) werehigher than those of stage 3 and 4(15 cases, 41.9) and statistically significant(P=0.017). Immunoreactive scores of moderateand poorly differentiated carcinomas(22 cases, 61.6) are more or less lower than those of well differentiated carcinoma(15cases, 87.0) but not significant(P=0.361). Among 24 cases of benign epithelial lesions, 12 cases showed unmethylated PTENbut none methylated. In HNSCCs, 22 of 44 paraffin embedded blocks showed unmethylated PTEN but none methylated, andall 4 frozen tissue revealed unmethylated PTEN, one of which(25%) methylated. We consider that the loss of PTEN proteinexpression may be associated with the progression of HNSCCs and the other alteration rather than methylation may be importantin the inactivation of PTEN in HNSCCs.

Most Authors reported that mouth guard is a part of equipment for body-contact sports players. Mouth guards protectorofacial injuries but have some problems in breathing and speaking. Some authors reported that mouth guards have alsoimprove the muscle strength and sport ability. This experiment was performed to study the change of masseter muscle EMGafter wearing of mouth guard. 10 D university male base ball players were participated in this study. After impression taking,mouth guards were constructed and weared. Masseter muscle EMG and nasal ventilation after ten day's adaptation werechecked. They were requested clenching with or without mouth guard. EMG and nasal ventilation were checked by iworx 104instrument simultaneousley. The result showed that masseteric EMG were improved and nasal ventilation were stable afterwearing mouth guard. It concluded that mouth guard had improved muscle activity and stabilized the nasal ventilation dependon experimental method.

This research was designed to investigate changes of growth factors and bone matrix proteins during the bone healingprocesses using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Especially this study was focused on the changes of bonematrix and growth factors around the titanium implant. Threaded implants were introduced into the long bone of tibia.Time dependent changes of several bone associated protein and and its mRNAs were observed. Proteins investigated in thisstudy are collagen, osteonectin(ON), osteopontin(OPN), osteocalcin(OC). Expression of the proteins were measured usingimmunohistochemistry. VEGF and ON were measured using in situ hybridization, and northen blot technique. Bone regenerationwere observed as early as the third day of experiment. Matrix proteins and growth factors observed around implantwere identical to the proteins observed in the control group. The expression of the ON, OC and VEGF were observedmainly in the osteoblast-like cell on the surface of new bone around the implant and the cells lining the margin of bone defectapart from the implant. The observation may not result from direct osteoconducting activities of titanium but by passiveadsorption of extracellular factors which has bone inducing capacities. These passive adsorption results in the immobilizationof the growth factors and consequent prolongation of the activities.

ISPARC (Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) is detected in the bone stroma during wound-healing process. Tounderstand the roles of SPARC in bony wound-healing process, SPARC cDNA were synthesized from rat calvarial osteoblastculture, and SPARC protein was synthesized from the cDNA. To observe the effects of SPARC protein on the differentiationof osteoblasts, bony defect were made on rat tibia, and the distributions of bone matrix related proteins and SPARC wereinvestigated using immunohistochemistry. In the rat osteoblastic culture using untreated plastic surface, Collagen-SPARCtreated surface presented higher protein synthesis than untreated surface or only collagen treated surface. SPARC synthesisin the bony defect of rat tibia was augmented by introducing SPARC to the bony defect. SPARC synthesis were increasedfrom the center of the defect compared to the control. SPARC synthesis in cells of the center of the defect was increased andmaintained for 14 days. We could conclude that SPARC introduction may affect the early bone matrix formation, includingSPARC, and mineralization in bony wound healing process.

An extremely rare case of chondromyxoid fibroma of the zygomatic arch in a 65-year-old woman is presented. Block resectionand immediate reconstruction were done with calvarial bone with fixed with microplate and screws through the hemicoronalapproach. Follow-up studies have shown no tumor recurrence for 7 years. Also, we carried out an immunohistochemicalstudy. The results showed positive S-100 and vimentin staining, while showing only very weak stainingfor NSE. The Ki-67 staining study showed a PI-index of only 0.67%.