Integrin expression in oral hairy leukoplakia and normal tongue epithelium

OBJECTIVE: To describe the expression of integrins in the epithelium of ora l hairy leukoplakia (HL) and compare to that of normal lateral tongue epith elium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry to identify integrins (alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 5, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1) was performed, using a standar d biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase technique on five clinically and histologi cally confirmed frozen biopsy specimens of HL and five normal lateral tongu e control tissues. RESULTS: Expression of integrins alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1 was seen both in HL epithelium and in normal control tissue. alpha 5 expre ssion was not seen in HL or in control tissue epithelium. alpha 2 and alpha 3 were expressed mainly in the basal and suprabasal layers; alpha 6 expres sion was most intense on the basal surface of the basal cells, alpha v was expressed in the basal and suprabasal layers with more expression seen in t he higher differentiated cell layers than the other integrins. beta 1 expre ssion was seen in the basal and suprabasal layers only. No apparent differe nce between HL and normal oral mucosa was noted in the staining pattern of the various integrins. CONCLUSION: Integrins alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1 are expres sed in HL and the expression pattern is not different from that of normal o ral mucosa. a5 is not expressed in HL or in normal oral epithelium.