Udompatanakorn Chatchaphan, Patcharaman Supisara, Taebunpakul Patrayu
Department of Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Srinakharinwirot University.
J Clin Exp Dent. 2024 Dec 1;16(12):e1481-e1488. doi: 10.4317/jced.62186. eCollection 2024 Dec.
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant internal RNA modification in mammals, plays a critical role in many forms of cancer. Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) serves as the main catalytic subunit of the m6A writer and plays a role in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. To date, the role of METTL3 in odontogenic lesions has never been investigated. This study aimed to examine METTL3 expression in dental follicles (DF), dentigerous cysts (DC), unicystic ameloblastoma (UA), and conventional ameloblastoma (conventional AM).
The immunohistochemistry was performed using paraffin-embedded tissue samples. Seven cases of DF, 30 cases of DC, and 35 cases of AM (20 cases of UA and 15 cases of conventional AM) were included. The expression patterns, percentage of METTL3-positive cells, staining intensities, and immunoreactive scores (IRS) were examined.
The percentage of METTL3-positive cells was found to be significantly higher in the AM compared to DC and DF samples (<0.01). Additionally, the percentage of METTL3-positive cells increased from the luminal/intraluminal subtype of UA, the mural subtype of UA, to the conventional AM (<0.01). All AM samples had higher METTL3 cell staining intensity and IRS scores than the DF and DC samples (<0.01). The mural subtype of UA and conventional AM also had significantly higher cell intensity and IRS scores than the luminal/intraluminal subtype of UA (<0.05).
The results of this study suggest that METTL3 might have a role in odontogenic lesions. METTL3 expression may be related to the aggressive behaviour of these lesions. However, the precise molecular mechanism of METTL3 in odontogenic lesions still needs to be elucidated. Methyltransferase-like 3, immunohistochemistry, dentigerous cyst, ameloblastoma.
N6-甲基腺苷（m6A）是哺乳动物中最丰富的内部RNA修饰，在多种癌症中起关键作用。甲基转移酶样3（METTL3）作为m6A书写器的主要催化亚基，在头颈部鳞状细胞癌的进展中发挥作用。迄今为止，METTL3在牙源性病变中的作用尚未得到研究。本研究旨在检测METTL3在牙囊（DF）、含牙囊肿（DC）、单囊性成釉细胞瘤（UA）和传统成釉细胞瘤（传统AM）中的表达。
使用石蜡包埋组织样本进行免疫组织化学检测。纳入7例DF、30例DC和35例AM（20例UA和15例传统AM）。检测METTL3的表达模式、阳性细胞百分比、染色强度和免疫反应评分（IRS）。
发现AM中METTL3阳性细胞百分比显著高于DC和DF样本（<0.01）。此外，METTL3阳性细胞百分比从UA的管腔/管腔内亚型、UA的壁内亚型到传统AM逐渐增加（<0.01）。所有AM样本的METTL3细胞染色强度和IRS评分均高于DF和DC样本（<0.01）。UA的壁内亚型和传统AM的细胞强度和IRS评分也显著高于UA的管腔/管腔内亚型（<0.05）。
本研究结果表明METTL3可能在牙源性病变中起作用。METTL3表达可能与这些病变的侵袭性有关。然而，METTL3在牙源性病变中的确切分子机制仍有待阐明。甲基转移酶样3、免疫组织化学、含牙囊肿、成釉细胞瘤。
