Langerhans Cell Expression in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: An Immunohistochemical Analysis

• Main Authors: Bharghavi Narayanan, Malathi Narasimhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2015-07-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
• Subjects: cd1a; cell mediated immunity; dendritic cells
• Online Access: https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/6196/12608_CE[Ra1]_F(AK)_PF1(PAK)_PFA(AK)_PF2(PAG).pdf

Background: Langerhans cells (LCs), are dendritic cells of the epithelium which play a role in an array of oral lesions from gingivitis to oral cancer. Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF), a potentially malignant disorder (PMD), is an insidious chronic disease with juxta-epithelial inflammatory changes leading to fibrosis. Langerhans cells (LCs) may play a part in the ongoing inflammatory dysregulation of OSMF. Objective: The study was aimed at elucidating the distribution of LCs in varying grades of OSMF. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study using 39 cases of OSMF, graded using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stained section. Immunohistochemistry was performed using polyclonal anti- CD1a antibodies to identify LCs in 5 cases of normal tissue and 39 samples of OSMF. The distribution of LCs among the various grades and normal mucosa analysed using MannWhitney U test. Results: LC population in the OSMF was significantly higher when compared to the normal epithelium (p<0.001). Within the grades the advanced stage had more LCs than the other stages. Conclusion: The increase in LCs might indicate the role of antigenic exposure in turn leading to cell mediated immunity in OSMF. Thus the fibrosis in OSMF might have a direct link to LCs.