# Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression in oral paracoccidioidomycosis

## TL;DR

This study examines the presence of VEGF in oral lesions caused by a fungal infection called paracoccidioidomycosis, focusing on its prevalence and characteristics in Brazil.

## Contribution

The study is the first to evaluate VEGF immunoexpression in oral paracoccidioidomycosis lesions.

## Key findings

- Oral PCM primarily affects white males around 50 years old, with lesions commonly found on the gingiva and alveolar ridge.
- VEGF immunoexpression was mild and observed in only a small number of cases.
- No correlation was found between VEGF expression and clinical or microscopic features of the lesions.

## Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis endemic and limited to Latin America. Brazil is responsible for more than 80% of diagnosed cases in the world. Since PCM is not a notifiable disease, there are still no accurate data on its incidence in Brazil. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered the main vascular endothelial growth factor expressed in the process of angiogenesis, both under physiological and pathological conditions. To date, there are not studies in the literature that evaluated the expression of VEGF in oral PCM lesions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of oral lesions of PCM diagnosed from 1998 to 2020; to analyze the immunoexpression of VEGF in oral lesions of PCM; and to compare the VEGF immunostaining with the clinical and microscopic aspects of these lesions.

Clinical data of 98 cases of patients with oral PCM were evaluated. A total of 41 selected cases were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed by immunohistochemistry for VEGF.

Our results showed that oral PCM preferentially affects white males, with mean age of 50.2 years, and the gingiva and the alveolar ridge. It was not possible to correlate VEGF immunoexpression with clinical and microscopic variables.

Oral PCM is a relatively uncommon pathological condition and that, in our sample, the immunoexpression of VEGF was mild and observed in a reduced number of cases.

Key words:Paracoccidioidomycosis, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, VEGF, angiogenesis, immunohistochemistry, histopathology, biopsy, oral mucosa.