Nanochemoprevention has been introduced recently as a novel approach for improving phytochemicals bioavailability and anti-tumor effect. The present study is designed to evaluate the chemopreventive efficacy of prepared naringenin-loaded nanoparticles (NARNPs) relative to efficacy of free naringenin (NAR) against 7,12-dimethyl benz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral carcinogenesis by evaluating the status of lipid peroxidation, antioxidants and immunoexpression patterns of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and p53 proteins. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) investigations have confirmed a narrow size distribution of the prepared nanoparticles (40-90 nm) with ~88 % encapsulation efficiency. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) was developed in the buccal pouch of golden Syrian hamsters by painting with 0.5 % DMBA in liquid paraffin three times a week for 14 weeks. DMBA painted animals revealed the morphological changes, hyperplasia, dysplasia and well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, the status of lipid peroxidation, antioxidants and immunoexpression of PCNA and p53 were significantly altered during DMBA-induced oral carcinogenesis. Oral administration of NARNPs (50 mg NAR/kg body weight/day) to DMBA-treated animals completely prevented the tumor formation as compared to the free NAR and significantly reduced the degree of histological lesions, in addition to restoration of the status of biochemical and molecular markers during oral carcinogenesis. In addition, NARNPs have more potent anti-lipid peroxidative, antiproliferative effect and antioxidant potentials compared to free NAR in DMBA-induced oral carcinogenesis. In conclusion, the present study suggests that NARNPs could be a potentially useful drug carrier system for targeted delivery of naringenin for cancer chemoprevention.

Reactive proliferations of the gingiva comprise lesions such as pyogenic granuloma (PG), inflammatory fibroepithelial hyperplasia (IFH), peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF), and peripheral giant cell lesion. Osteopontin (OPN) has a dual role, it promotes mineralization when it is bound to solid substrate, and on the other hand, it inhibits mineralization when it is seen in association with solution.Objectives The study aimed to evaluate the expression of osteopontin in normal gingival tissue and different types of focal reactive proliferations of gingival tissue, and its role in the development of calcification within it.Material and Methods The presence and distribution of osteopontin was assessed using immunohistochemistry in five cases of normal gingival tissue and 30 cases of focal reactive proliferations of gingiva.Results There was no expression of osteopontin in normal subjects. Few cases of pyogenic granuloma, inflammatory fibroepithelial hyperplasia, and all the cases of peripheral ossifying fibroma showed positivity for osteopontin in the inflammatory cells, stromal cells, extracellular matrix, and in the calcifications.Conclusion The expression of osteopontin in all the cases of peripheral ossifying fibroma speculates that the majority of the cases of peripheral ossifying fibroma originate from the periodontal ligament cells. The treatment modalities for peripheral ossifying fibroma should differ from other focal reactive proliferations of gingiva.

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) patients respond poorly to chemotherapy. We analyzed the expression of 11 drug response-related genes in 31 OSCC biopsies, collected prior to any treatment, using custom-designed PCR array. Further, we investigated the drug response pattern of selected anticancer drugs by BH3 (Bcl2 Homology-3) profiling in the primary cells isolated from OSCC tissues. Then, we correlated the results of drug-response gene expression pattern with apoptotic priming to predict tumor response to chemotherapy. The best performing drug (BPD) and response differences (RD) between the drugs were identified using statistical methods to select the best choice of drug in a personalized manner. Based on the correlation, we classified OSCC tumors as sensitive (13 tumors), moderately responsive (16 tumors) or resistant (2 tumors) to chemotherapy. We found that up-regulation of genes linked with drug resistance facilitates survival of tumor samples, which was revealed by the percentage of apoptotic priming. Moreover, we found that paclitaxel-induced 40–45% apoptotic priming compared to other drugs. Average response difference (RD) analysis showed that 80% of tumors responded well to paclitaxel as compared to other drugs studied. Therefore, gene expression analysis with BH3 profiling reveals drug sensitivity that could be translated for drug selection before treatment.

One of the primary tasks of systematic biology is the development of our biological nomenclature and classifications. The key purpose for the development of a standard nomenclature for a disease is the need for a common language for the statement of diagnostic terms and for a means or system whereby diagnosis could be suitably recorded without chaos. Odontogenic tumor nomenclature and classification have confused physicians over the years. Ameloblastoma is one such entity among odontogenic tumors, which has continuously changed to be an evolution of the terms and taxonomy used in literature. In this review, we aim to provide a fundamental basis for the understanding of how the etymology and the position of ameloblastoma in odontogenic tumor classification have evolved over the years.