The bcl-2 expression in connective tissue cells suggests that these cells may also be important as epithelial cells in the biological behavior odontogenic keratocyst.
In addition to the classical PTCH1 mutations, Hedgehog pathway disturbance and Bcl-2 protein overexpression, as detected via genome-wide expression analysis of OKCs, have been published.
The immunoprofile of odontogenic keratocyst (keratocystic odontogenic tumor) that includes expression of PTCH, SMO, GLI-1 and bcl-2 is similar to ameloblastoma but different from odontogenic cysts.