Glypican-3 distinguishes aggressive from non-aggressive odontogenic tumors: a preliminary study

Background: Glypican-3 is a cell surface proteoglycan that is found in embrionary tissues, and there are no studies investigating this protein in odontogenic tumor. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate glypican-3 in a series of aggressive and non-aggressive odontogenic tumors. Methods: Fifty-nine cases of tumors were divided into aggressive odontogenic tumors (20 solid ameloblastomas, four unicystic ameloblastoma, 28 KOTs including five associated with Gorlin–Goltz syndrome) and non-aggressive odontogenic tumors (five adenomatoid odontogenic tumors and two calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors) and analyzed for glypican-3 using immunohistochemistry. Results: Glypican-3 was observed in seven solid ameloblastoma and eighteen keratocystic odontogenic tumors including three of the five syndromic cases, but there was no significant difference between syndromic and sporadic cases (P > 0.05; Fisher's exact Test). All cases of unicystic ameloblastoma (n = 4), adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (n = 5), and calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (n = 2) were negative. Conclusions: This provided insights into the presence of glypican-3 in odontogenic tumors. This protein distinguished aggressive from non-aggressive odontogenic tumors.