Role of osteopontin in oral epithelial dysplasia, oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 706 - 714
• Main Authors: Salati, Nasir A, Sharma, Mohit, Rao, Nirmala N, Shetty, Smitha S, Radhakrishnan, Raghu A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01.10.2023; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow
• Subjects: Development and progression; Dysplasia; Epithelium; Fibrosis; Immunoreactivity; Inflammation; Malignancy; Mucosa; Oral cancer; Oral carcinoma; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Original; Osteopontin; Squamous cell carcinoma; Wound healing; oral submucous fibrosis; Angiotensin I; angiotensin II; osteopontin; oral squamous cell carcinoma; mast cells; angiotensinogen
• ISSN: 0973-029X; 1998-393X
• DOI: 10.4103/jomfp.jomfp_492_22

Inflammatory cells and cytokines in the chronically injured mucosa promote fibrosis in the oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) fibrotic milieu. Osteopontin (OPN) is a wound-healing mediator that upregulates the inflammatory response and is involved in the malignancy and fibrosis of multiple organ systems. We investigated the expression of OPN in oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) to determine its role in the malignant transformation and fibrosis of oral tissues. The expression of OPN in OPMDs and OSCCs was compared and correlated, and the role of OPN as a fibrotic mediator in OSF was explained. A total of 30 cases of normal mucosa and OPMDs (mild dysplasia, severe dysplasia, OSF and OSCCs) were studied by purposive sampling. In these groups, OPN immunoreactivity was examined and correlated with clinical findings. In mild dysplasia, OPN expression was restricted to the basal cell layer with moderate staining intensity. In severe dysplasia, it was extremely intense and extended throughout the epithelium. In the OSF, OPN expression was moderate in the perinuclear areas of the basal cell layer. The expression of OPN was very strong in OSCC. A flow diagram explaining the profibrotic role of OPN in OSF has been provided. A positive role of OPN in both pathogenesis and malignant transformation of OPMDs and OSCC has been demonstrated.