Investigation of the Molecular Profile of Granular Cell Tumours and Schwannomas of the Oral Cavity

Authors

Benjamin Rogala, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Zia Ali Khan, Schulich School of Medicine & DentistryFollow
Linda Jackson-Boeters, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Mark Roger Darling, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2022

Journal

Dentistry Journal

Volume

10

Issue

3

URL with Digital Object Identifier

10.3390/dj10030038

Abstract

Granular cell tumours (GCTs) are rare submucosal lesions, thought to develop from Schwann cells, characterised by large polygonal cells with abundant lysosomes. The objectives of this study are to investigate whether GCTs have an antigen-presenting cell (APC) phenotype or a neural crest phenotype using immunohistochemistry and to compare expression profiles with Schwannomas. Immunoreactivity to CD68, HLA-DR, CD163, CD40 and CD11c (APC phenotype) and markers of neural crest cell (NCC) origin S100, SOX10, NSE and GAP43 in 23 cases of GCTs and 10 cases of Schwannomas were evaluated. RT-qPCR was used to identify a possible NCC developmental phenotype in 6 cases of GCTs. GAP43 was identified as a new NCC marker for GCTs, and some evidence was found for an APC phenotype from CD68 and HLA-DR immunoreactivity. RT-qPCR failed to identify an NCC developmental phenotype of GCTs, likely due to technical issues.