Abstract
Two cases of congenital epulis were examined immunohistochemically for the presence of keratins, desmin, vimentin, involucrin, S-100α and β proteins, lysozyme, lactoferrin, α1-antitrypsin, and α1-antichymotrypsin, as well as for lectin binding patterns. For the latter, 7 kinds of lcctins (ConA, RCA-1, DBA, SBA, PNA, WGA, and UEA-1) were employed. Granular cells were negative for all of the immunohistochemical reactions carried out. However, these cells did give slightly positive staining with RCA-1, PNA, and WGA lectins, suggesting galactose (Gal), N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAC), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GluNCA) residues in granular cells.
A comparison in immunohistochemical evidence was made between granular cells in congenital epulis and those in other granular cell tumors. Different properties for immunohistochemical reactions were given between the granular cells of congenital epulis and those of other granular cell tumors. We propose the term “congenital granular cell tumor”instead of “congenital epulis”, in order to discriminate this type from other granular cell tumors. The histogenesis of granular cells in congenital granular cell tumor was different to neutral origin.
