PCNA/AgNOR and Ki-67/ AgNOR double staining in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Costa ALL, Araujo NS, Pinto Jr DS, Araujo VC: PCNA/AgNOR and Ki‐67/ AgNOR double staining in oral squamous cell carcinoma. J Oral Pathol Med 1999; 28: 438–41. © Munksgaard, 1999. This study was performed on oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) in order to investigate the relation between the number of interphase silver‐stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) and the immunolabeling of proliferation‐associated markers, using antibodies to Ki‐67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Fifteen consecutive cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma were used and a double staining technique was performed in order to quantify the number of NORs in PCNA‐positive and ‐negative cells as well as in Ki‐67‐positive and ‐negative cells. Our results showed a higher mean number of AgNORs in PCNA‐and Ki‐67‐positive cells than in PCNA‐ and Ki‐67‐negative cells. We concluded that there is an association between cell proliferation and AgNOR score in OSCC.