ESEM Detection of Foreign Metallic Particles inside Ameloblastomatous Cells

Abstract

Ameloblastoma is a borderline tumor of odontogenic origin, with a high recurrence rate and possible local aggressiveness. The etiopathogenetic factors involved in its occurrence are not still defined and our study has been precisely aimed to search for novel factors associated with its development. Sections cut from paraffin blocks, containing the representative specimens of 18 different ameloblastomas, collected in a 15-year period (1999–2014), have been observed by an environmental scanning electron microscope, in order to search micro- and nano-sized particles and to identify their composition. In all the neoplastic cases, micro- and nano-sized metallic debris, differing in size and composition, have been detected inside the ameloblastomatous cells. On the contrary, the total absence of metallic particles in the healthy control cases has been emerged. Our results reveal a relationship between ameloblastoma and metallic particulate. The cigarette smoke and the routine dental practice appear the most probable source for the presence of these biopersistant inorganic particles inside the neoplastic cells.

• Ameloblastoma
• cigarette smoke
• dental practice
• environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)
• heavy metals
• metallic particles

Acknowledgements

The authors would express their thanks to Federico Capitani and Luca Fabbiani for their technical assistance.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

FUNDING

The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article. This study was supported by Nanodiagnostics Laboratory (Modena, IT).