The gene gun is a useful delivery method for gene introduction. The Helios gene gun, which is a hand-held type, is convenient and effective for delivering a gene to a local site. The purpose of this study is to define the proper conditions for gene transfer to oral mucosa of dog by using a gene gun.
Materials and Methods: By using a Helios gene gun, the introduction of green fluorescent protein (GFP) genes to oral mucosa of dog (tongue dorsal surface, tongue ventral surface, gingiva, buccal mucosa and hard palate) under different pressures was analyzed post-bombardment, and GFP expression was checked under UV-light.
Results: We observed GFP expression in all sites of dog oral cavity, and the most effective site for gene transduction was a buccal mucosa. A pressure of 200 Psi or 250 Psi, 1 shot/area was the best condition for bombardment.
The depth of gold particles was 5mm in buccal mucosa, 4mm in tongue dorsal mucosa and gingiva, and 2mm in palate. Histopathological examination revealed no severe tissue damage.

View full abstract

The correlation of epithelial dysplasia (ED) with the expression of p53, ATM and MDM2 was examined immunohistochemically in 107 cases of oral leukoplakia (OL). In addition, in situ hybridization was used to investigate the localization of ATM and MDM2 genes. OLs consisted of 9 cases with non-ED, 35 cases with mild ED, 30 cases with moderate ED and 33 cases with severe ED. In addition, 22 cases with normal oral epithelium and 19 cases with oral squamous cell carcinoma were used as controls. The results revealed that the positive rate of p53 was significantly higher in OL with severe ED than in normal oral epithelium. Although the positive cells for ATM were most frequently seen in OL with mild ED, its positive rate was not significantly different from that of normal oral epithelium. The positive rate of MDM2 was significantly higher in OL with mild, severe ED and oral squamous cell carcinoma than in normal oral epithelium. ATM and MDM2 genes were mainly detected in the basal cell layer and prickle cell layer, respectively. The localization of these genes was consistent with that of their proteins.

View full abstract

Discrepancies between clinical and histopathological diagnosis were investigated in 285 sites and 72 sites which were biopsied under the clinical diagnosis of oral leukoplakia and oral lichen planes, respectively.
The results revealed that the rate of discrepancy in oral leukoplakia was 13.4% and the most frequent histopathological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma. These lesions were mostly located at the tongue and the majority of these lesions were the erosiva type. On the other hand, the rate of diagnostic discrepancy in oral lichen planus was 44.4%. The most frequent histopathological diagnosis was oral leukoplakia, followed by non-specific ulcer. Two lesions were diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. These lesions were accompanied with erosion and located at the gingiva.
These results indicate that biopsy is indispensable in clinically diagnosed oral leukoplakia arising on the tongue and that biopsy seems to be necessary in atypical lesions clinically diagnosed as oral lichen planus.

View full abstract

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a relatively common disorder of unknown etiology in the oral mucous membrane.
We evaluated the clinical effectiveness of Irsogladine maleate (IM) on 18 patients with oral lichen planus. IM enhances the function of intercellular communication through gap junctions. The results were as follows: There was a predominance of female patients (66.7%). The largest number of cases were aged between 50 and 69 (over 70%). The location of the lesion was most commonly at the buccal mucosa followed by gingiva, lip and tongue.
Subjective symptoms improved in 13 patients (72.2%), and objective findings improved in 10 patients (55.6%). The reticular type showed the best response in this study.

View full abstract

This is a rare report of multiple oral carcinoma originating in an erythroplakia. The patient is a 76-year-old woman with no drinking or smoking habit. An expansile erythroplakia, ranging from the right palate to the right buccal mucosa and from the lower lip to the left buccal mucosa, was observed in her oral cavity. The biopsy specimen was diagnosed as mild epithelial dysplasia. One and a half years after the first visit, a squamous cell carcinoma emerged on the right buccal mucosa, and the lesion was surgically excised. At the point of seven and a half years from the first visit, a massive squamous cell carcinoma appeared on the median portion of the lower gingiva. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy failed to control the lesion, and the patient died of pulmonary metastases.

View full abstract