A novel application of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay in oral lichen planus: a pilot study

Background

The most important complication of oral lichen planus is malignancy transformation.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess cellular and nuclear morphology in a group of patients with oral lichen planus measured by means of buccal micronucleus cytome assay.

Study design

This study included thirty patients with a clinicopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus (all with atrophic–erosive clinical forms of OLP) and thirty healthy control subjects. Both samples were similar in age and gender. The buccal micronucleus cytome assay protocol consisted of: cell collection from both cheeks with a cytobrush; cell centrifuge; slide preparation, fixation and staining followed by fluorescent microscope analysis. 2 × 10⁶ exfoliated cells were screened for nuclear abnormalities: micronuclei, nuclear buds, binucleation, basal and differentiated cells, condensed chromatin, karyorrhectic cells, pyknosis and karyolytic cells.

Results

Patients with oral lichen planus showed significantly higher frequencies of micronuclei (p < 0.001), nuclear buds (p < 0.001), binucleated cells (p < 0.021) than the control group.

Conclusions

This method is an easy way for clinicians to assess DNA damage, proliferative potential of basal cells and cell death in buccal cells in cases of oral lichen planus.