A Case Report of Ameloblastoma of the Mandible with Examination of Notch Signaling

Abstract

A case of ameloblastoma in a 67-year-old male Malay patient was reported with examination of Notch signaling. After histopathological observations and diagnosis, the distribution of transcription factors and mRNA of Notch1 and Jagged1 were examined by immunohistochemical (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques. Histopathologically, the tumor consisted predominantly of proliferating follicular nests of ameloblastoma epithelium randomly disposed in the fibrous stromal tissue. Some of these odontogenic epithelial nests showed features of central cystic degeneration, squamous metaplasia, and keratinizing pearl formation. By IHC, Notch1 and Jagged1 positive products were observed in most of these proliferating nests of ameloblastomas. Both of these gene expressions were detected by ISH in the cytoplasms of these IHC positive cells. These preliminary findings suggest that these genes may play a role in cytological differentiation or acquisition of tissue-specific characteristics in neoplastic cells of ameloblastomas.