Proliferation and Immunocytochemical Analysis in Primary Cultures of Odontogenic Tumors

Objectives: Odontogenic tumors epidemiology is varied around the world and its pathogenesis remains inconclusive. The aim of the present study was to determine the proliferation and immunocytochemical expression of stable primary cell culture of compound odontoma (COd) and calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (CCOT).
Methods: Two specimens of COd and CCOT were used to perform microdissection, collagenase IV digestion and primary cell culture in DMEM/F12. Third to seventh stable cell populations were employed to achieve assays. Cell proliferation was measured using Vybrant MTT Cell Proliferation Assay Kit at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours, PDL fibroblast was employed as control. Immunocytochemical analysis was performed to determine the expression of actin, SMA, pancytokeratin, vimentin, Sox2 and NGFR p75, intensity expression were analyzed via ImageJ software (NIH, Bethesda MD, USA).
Results: Proliferation assays revealed that COd and CCOT cells have differential conduct, stabilizing their proliferation at 48 and 72hr respectively. Their inmunoexpression showed similar high expression levels to actin and vimentin. SMA was lower in CCOT than COd and PDL fibroblasts. Pancytokeratin showed similar lower expression in COd and CCOT. Sox2 exhibited lower expression in COd than CCOT and PDL; NGFR p75 only showed low expression in COd.
Conclusions: Cell proliferation is different in COd and CCOT, suggesting that these two odontogenic tumors have differential rates of growth with a slower pattern in CCOT. This differential conduct could be associated to the deferential immunoexpression of Sox2 and NGFRp75 on COd and CCOTcells, thus suggesting differential presence of progenitor cells.
Acknowledgement: Supported by National Autonomous University of Mexico UNAM PAPITT, DGAPA # IN22414