Iranian Journal of Pathology

Evaluation of Cytokeratin 19 Expression in Oral Carcinogenesis

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

Narges Ghazi 1
Nasrollah Saghravanian 1
Soheila Shamshiri 2
Yasamin Ayatollahi 1

1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Dentist, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30699/ijp.2025.2044451.3375
Abstract
Background & Objective: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for over 90% of oral cancers. Cytokeratin 19 (CK19), produced by suprabasal epithelial cells, reflects alterations in cellular behavior and has been associated with premalignant changes in the oral epithelium. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of CK19 in OSCC and oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and its potential role in oral carcinogenesis.
Methods: A total of 50 samples were analyzed, including 30 OSCC cases and 10 OED cases obtained from the archives of the Department of Pathology, as well as 10 normal oral mucosa samples collected from clinically healthy areas adjacent to mucocele lesions. CK19 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry
Results: Positive immunoreactivity for CK19 was observed in 90% (27/30) of OSCC samples. CK19 expression in the OSCC group was significantly higher compared to the OED and normal mucosa groups. Among OSCC cases, grade III tumors exhibited stronger CK19 expression than grades I and II. Additionally, CK19 expression in grade II OSCC was higher than in the OED group.
Conclusion: The progressive increase in CK19 expression from normal mucosa to OED and OSCC supports its involvement in oral mucosal carcinogenesis. Moreover, higher CK19 expression correlated with increasing tumor grade and decreasing cellular differentiation, suggesting its potential value as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in OSCC.

Keywords

Cytokeratin 19
Oral squamous cell carcinoma
Oral epithelial dysplasia
Immunohistochemistry
Biomarker
Oral carcinogenesis

Subjects

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Iranian Journal of Pathology
Volume 20, Issue 3
Summer 2025
Pages 280-287

  • Receive Date 05 January 2025
  • Revise Date 06 May 2025
  • Accept Date 21 May 2025

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