Immunohistochemical demonstration of keratins in oral mucosa lesions

Abstract

The immunoperoxidase reaction for total keratin labelling was carried out on 21 conventional histopathology specimens of human.oral mucosa, using an antibody against keratins isolated from rat epidermis. Specimens containing orthokeratinized, parakeratinized and non-keratinized normal oral mucosa and homogeneous leukoplakia, leukoplakia verrucosa, verrucous carcinoma, carcinoma “in situ” and invasive carcinoma were studied. The intensity of the reaction was greater in orthokeratinized epithelia than in parakeratinized or non-keratinized mucous membrane, whereas the homogeneity of the reaction pattern did not depend on the stage of keratinization. Verrucous carcinoma and verrucous leukoplakia exhibited a similar pattern. Carcinoma “in situ” were only slightly positive. The method also allows the visualization of centers of incipient dyskeratosis in leukoplakia, the observation of early indifferentation in carcinomas and the detection of micro-invasive carcinomatous sites.