VIMENTIN IN ORAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

The relationship between the histological grading of malignancy and th e expression of vimentin and cytokeratin was studied in 43 cases of or al squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical analysis was carried o ut with the avidin-biotin method using monoclonal antibody anti-viment in, and the peroxidase anti-peroxidase method using the polyclonal ant ibody anti-cytokeratin. All cases were classified according to the his tological malignancy grading system proposed by Anneroth. All of the c arcinomas were found to express cytokeratin, while 60.4% expressed vim entin. Vimentin was particularly noted in all tumors scored to have hi ghly malignant cells.