Ameloblastoma and adenomatoid odontogenic tumor: the role of α2β1, α3β1, and α5β1 integrins in local invasiveness and architectural characteristics

Ameloblastoma is an odontogenic neoplasm characterized by local invasiveness and a tendency toward recurrence, whereas adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) is an indolent neoplasm. The objective of the present study was to immunohistochemically analyze the role of α2β1, α3β1, and α5β1 integrins in the cellular events and cell-matrix interactions that occur in these tumors and their consequent repercussions on the architectural arrangement and biologic behavior of these lesions. Paraffin-embedded specimens from 30 ameloblastomas (20 solid and 10 unicystic tumors) and 12 AOTs were submitted to immunohistochemistry using the catalyzed signal amplification system. A difference in the pattern of integrin expression was observed between the various histologic types of ameloblastoma. No significant difference in labeling intensity was observed between unicystic and solid ameloblastomas, but comparison between ameloblastomas and AOT showed a significantly stronger expression of α5β1 integrin in the former (P < .05). Our findings suggest an important role of the integrins studied in the architectural characteristics of ameloblastomas and AOTs and a possible participation of α5β1 integrin in the mechanism of local invasion of ameloblastomas.