Mast cells and angiogenesis in malignant and premalignant oral lesions: An immunohistochemical study

Angiogenesis is a complex event facilitated by angiogenic factors released from neoplastic and host immune cells. Among host immune cells, mast cells (MCs) may have greater significance in tumor progression through angiogenesis. The objectives of the study were to evaluate and correlate mast cell density (MCD) and microvessel density (MVD) in normal gingival tissue, leukoplakia with and without dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cases. Among eighty selected cases, twenty were of normal gingiva, twenty each of leukoplakia without and with dysplasia and twenty of OSCC. The slides were stained with CD34 and counterstained with 0.1% toluidine blue, followed by quantification of MCD and MVD per high-power field (×40) using Image-Pro Express software. Chi-square test and correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. A statistically significant difference in the values of MVD and MCD between normal gingival tissue, leukoplakia with and without dysplasia and OSCC ( = 0.000) was observed. MVD and MCD showed a positive correlation between the study groups. MVD and MCD increased significantly in cases of OSCC as compared to leukoplakia with and without dysplasia and normal gingival tissue. It was concluded that MCs may play a significant role in angiogenesis by releasing pro-angiogenic and angiogenic factors which may in turn favor the progression of premalignant lesion to a malignant one.