Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Angiogenesis and Its Relationship with Tryptase-Positive Mast Cells in Odontogenic Keratocyst and Dentigerous Cyst

Developmental cysts of the jaws are relatively common bone destructive lesions in the human maxillofacial skeleton but their pathogenesis is still poorly understood. Among inflammatory cells, mast cells (MC) might be associated with their pathogenesis. On the other hand angiogenesis is important for the growth, expansion and distribution of lesions. The aim of the present study was to correlate angiogenesis with MCs density in odontogenic keratocysts and dentigerous cysts. In a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study, 30 paraffin blocks of odontogenic keratocysts and dentigerous cysts were selected and stained immunohistochemically with CD34 and tryptase. T-test for independent samples and Fisher’s exact test were used for the statistical analysis of data. MVD was 2.07±0.53 and 7.96±1.23 in dentigerous cysts and odontogenic keratocysts respectively. Mean mast cells density was 3.93±2.35 and 12.12±4.37 in dentigerous cysts and odontogenic keratocysts. A Statistically significant difference was observed in MVD (P=0.05) and tryptase positive mast cells (P<0.001) between the odontogenic keratocysts and dentigerous cysts; a higher number of blood vessels and mast cells was detected in odontogenic keratocysts. The results suggest that CD34 and tryptase positive mast cells are strongly expressed in odontogenic keratocysts indicating that angiogenesis and mast cells may have a role in the aggressive behavior of odontogenic keratocysts. Lack of the correlation between mast cells number and angiogenesis in this study could be because of the developmental nature of these cysts.