Detection of the Epstein-Barr Virus and DNA-Topoisomerase II-α in Recurrent and Nonrecurrent Giant Cell Lesion of the Jawbones

The aims of this study were to determine whether the expression of Topo II-α correlates with presence of EBV in giant cell lesion of the jawbones and whether it is predictive of clinical biologic behavior of these lesions. Paraffin-embedded tissues from 8 recurrent and 7 nonrecurrent cases of bony GCLs and 9 peripheral giant cell lesions (PGCLs) as a control group were assessed for the expression of EBV and Topo II-α using immunohistochemistry. The results showed positive staining for Topo II-α in mononuclear stromal cells (MSCs) and multinucleated giant cells (MGCs). Student t-test showed that mean Topo II-α labelling index (LI) in recurrent cases was significantly higher than that in non-recurrent cases (P = 0.0001). Moreover, Spearman's correlation coefficients method showed a significant correlation between DNA Topo II-α LI and both of gender and site in these lesions. Moderate EBV expression in relation to the highest Topo II-α LI was observed in two cases of GCT. It was concluded that high Topo II-α LIs could be identified as reliable predicators for the clinical behavior of GCLs. Moreover, EBV has no etiological role in the benign CGCLs in contrast to its role in the pathogenesis of GCTs.