DIFFERENCES EXPRESSION OF SYNDECAN-1 (SDC-1) AND E-CADHERIN (E-CAD) IN HISTOPATHOLOGICAL TYPES OF FOLLICULAR, PLEXIFORM, AND MIXED AMELOBLASTOMA (FOLLICULAR-PLEXIFORM)

Background: Ameloblastoma is a benign tumor that can cause deformity and functional disorders in the craniomaxillofacial region. The invasion process of ameloblastoma requires degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membrane to support tumor cell proliferation. SDC-1 (CD-138) functions as a heparan sulfate
proteoglycan that regulates cellular adhesion and extracellular matrix attachment, while E-Cadherin (E-Cad) serves as a calcium-dependent transmembrane glycoprotein critical for epithelial morphogenesis and homotypic cellular adhesion.
Aim: The present study was designed to evaluate differences in SDC-1 and E-Cad expression patterns according to ameloblastoma histopathological classification.
Materials and Methods: This research is an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional approach. The research sample used 24 post-operative paraffin blocks from ameloblastoma patients from the period 2015–2023 who were histopathologically diagnosed. SDC-1 and E-Cad expression was analyzed using immunohistochemical
methods. Statistical analysis used the Tukey HSD test. This research has received ethical approval from the local ethics committee.
Results: The lowest expression of SDC-1 and E-Cad was found in the follicular type, while the mixed type (follicular-plexiform) showed the highest expression values. The Tukey HSD test showed significant differences in SDC-1 expression between the mixed type and the plexiform type (p=0.040) and follicular type (p=0.032). E-Cad
expression also showed significant differences between the follicular type and mixed type (p=0.032).
Conclusion: There are significant differences in SDC-1 and E-Cad expression between follicular type and mixed type ameloblastoma, while no significant differences were found between follicular type and plexiform type. These results indicate that histopathological variation is related to cell adhesion molecule expression in ameloblastoma.