EVALUATION OF INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN POTENTIALLY MALIGNANT DISORDERS OF THE ORAL CAVITY

Objective: The aim this study was to evaluate the expression of inflammatory markers in potentially malignant disorders of oral cavity (leukoplakia) and its relationship with the degree of epithelial dysplasia. Study design: Immunohistochemistry was used to identify the number (cells/mm2) of interleukin 17 (IL-17+), neutrophil (CD66 b+), matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP-9+) cells, and neoformed microvessels (CD105+) in the subepithelial region of leukoplakia samples from 31 patients. Evaluation of IL‐17 expression in keratinocytes cells was semiquantitative and performed by assigning scores. Samples of healthy oral mucosa (n = 10) were used as controls. Results: The classification of epithelial dysplasia by the binary grading system totaled 17 samples with high risk and 14 samples with low risk of malignant transformation. Irrespective of the severity of epithelial dysplasia, the counts of inflammatory markers (CD66 b, IL-17, MMP-9, and CD105) were higher in the leukoplakia group compared to controls (P