Immunoexpression of alfa2-integrin and Hsp47 in hereditary gingival fibromatosis and gingival fibromatosis-associated dental abnormalities

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of the ?2-integrin subunit and heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47) in two families with isolated gingival fibromatosis (GF) form and one family with GF associated with dental abnormalities and normal gingiva (NG). Study Design: Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies against ?2-integrin and Hsp47 in specimens from two unrelated families with hereditary gingival fibromatosis (Families 1 and 2) and from one family with a gingival fibromatosis-associated dental abnormality (Family 3); NG samples were used for comparison. The results were analysed statistically. Results: Immunoreactivity for ?2-integrin and Hsp47…