Abstract

Introduction: OPMDs are oral mucosal lesions with an increased peril for malignant transformation, most common being leukoplakia. The chief inflammatory cells accounting for transferring host response to malignancy includes macrophages, plasma cells, neutrophils, eosinophils and mast cells. Both eosinophils and mast cells modulate their function by the release of certain proinflammatory mediators. These bidirectional interactions between the mast cell and eosinophil cell might play an imperative part in the pathogenesis and progression of disorders. Intention of the research was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate eosinophil cells and mast cells in leukoplakia cases and control cases histochemically using congo red stain and toluidine blue stain respectively.
Materials and Methods: Study included 30 leukoplakia and 10 normal buccal mucosa cases. Each section was stained with H & E stain, 1% Toluidine Blue stain and 1% Congo Red stain. Both the cells were counted in leukoplakia and normal cases. Cells were also counted in two zones: subepithelial and deeper zone. Mast cells were additionally assessed as intact and degranulated. Statistical analysis was done using‘t’ test and one way ANOVA.
Results: Both eosinophils and mast cells were predominantly found in leukoplakia cases. Mast cells were predominant in deeper zone whereas eosinophils were predominant in subepithelial zone.
Conclusion: Increased number of mast cell and eosinophil count is the prognostic indicator in the progressive invasiveness of leukoplakia to malignancy