HLA antigens in Arabs with lichen planus

We have HLA typed 50 Arab patients with cutaneous lichen planus who were resident in Kuwait and then compared the antigen incidence with 100 normal controls. There were no significant differences in the antigens of the HLA-ABC loci but there was a significant increase in HLA-DR1 (P= 0.0018, RR = 3.68) and HLA-DRH) (P. corr. = 0.00096, RR=8.27) and a significant decrease in HLA DR5 (P. corr. = 0.0396, RR = 0.18.) The relevance of these findings to earlier reports on lichen planus in which HLA-DR1 (but not DR10) is increased is discussed. This is the first report of HLA antigen frequency in Arab patients with lichen planus, and would support the fact that HLA DR1 is universally associated with the disease, although the more significant association appears to be with HLA-DR10.     

HLA antigens in patients with lichen planus.

HLA-ABC antigens were determined in 89 patients with biopsy-confirmed lichen planus, and the HLA antigen frequencies were compared with those in 1967 controls. The younger patients were predominantly male, the older patients predominantly female. No significant association was found between HLA types and lichen planus in this study. A slightly greater incidence of HLA-A3 and B5 antigens was seen, but this increased frequency was not as pronounced as reported by others. When combined, available data on HLA and lichen planus indicate a slightly, but significantly, increased frequency of HLA-A3. None of the HLA antigens known to be associated with insulin-dependent diabetes are associated with lichen planus.     

HLA system in relation to carbohydrate metabolism in lichen planus

HLA antigens were determined in a group of fifty-two patients with lichen planus. In the group as a whole the frequency of A28 was increased but not significantly so. When the patients were subdivided according to the results of an oral glucose tolerance test, however, a highly significant increase in the frequency of A28 was found among the non-diabetic patients.     

An association between HLA DR1 and lichen planus

Serological typing for HLA Class II antigens in 72 patients with lichen planus (LP) revealed a highly significant association with HLA DRI and MTI (DQWI). DRI was present in 80% of patients with generalized LP, 54% with localized LP, 56% of patients with drug-induced LP and in 31% of patients with mucosal LP, compared with 25% of normal controls. MTI (DQWI) was found in 83% of the LP group and 62% of the normal controls. These findings strongly suggest a genetic predisposition or susceptibility to the development of generalized LP and perhaps also to drug-induced LP.     

Oral lichen planus: different clinical features in HCV-positive and HCV-negative patients

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection induces variable dermatologic manifestations. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether differences exist in the clinical features and behavior of oral lichen planus (OLP) between HCV-positive (HCV+ve) and HCV-negative (HCV-ve) patients. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty three patients (156 women and 107 men), with a mean age of 55.5 years, with OLP (76 HCV+ve and 187 HCV-ve) were clinically evaluated. Previously, all local factors that could modify the clinical characteristics were removed and were monitored carefully following morphology. RESULTS: In both groups, the prevalent clinical form of OLP was the mixed form (33.1% in HCV-ve and 35.5% in HCV+ve patients), in which reticular-plaque lesions coexist with atrophic-erosive ones. The reticular form was more frequent in HCV+ve (25%) than in HCV-ve (18. 7%) patients, whereas plaque lesions were more prevalent in HCV-ve (15.5%) than in HCV+ve (5.2%) patients (P < 0.01, chi-squared test). There were no significant differences in the frequency of erosive (27.2% in HCV-ve and 27.6% in HCV+ve) and atrophic (5.3% in HCV-ve and 5.2% in HCV+ve) forms between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that there were statistically significant differences between OLP-HCV-ve and OLP-HCV+ve groups for reticular and plaque clinical forms. These findings underline the importance of liver examination in all OLP patients, including cases with mild, asymptomatic keratotic forms of the disease.     

Apoptosis in lichen planus

A study of the degeneration of basal epidermal cells in lichen planus has confirmed the role of apoptosis. Lymphocytes were present in close proximity to all epidermal cells showing the early morphological features of apoptosis. This is further evidence implicating a cell-mediated immune reaction in the pathogenesis of lichen planus.     

经典和色素性扁平苔藓常见皮肤镜特征的比较

目的：比较经典扁平苔藓与色素性扁平苔藓常见皮肤镜的特征。方法：选取13例经典扁平苔藓和6例色素性扁平苔藓患者共99处皮损进行皮肤镜检查并对其特征进行比较。结果：经典扁平苔藓常见的皮肤镜特征有Wickham纹,以片状模式为主的黄棕色色素结构和点状、线状及球状等血管;色素性扁平苔藓常见的皮肤镜特征有以点状、球状模式为主的蓝灰色、黄棕色色素结构和毛囊角栓。结论：皮肤镜可用于经典扁平苔癣和色素性扁平苔藓的辅助诊断。     

The clinical manifestations and treatment of oral lichen planus

The progress in research on OLP and other autoimmune diseases has been significant. Coupled with a growing recognition of the clinical features and treatment options by dentists and physicians and fueled by the advances in immunosuppressive therapies, research will undoubtedly provide new insights into this complex disorder. It is likely that what is learned will enhance the understanding not only of OLP but also of many other mucocutaneous diseases.     

Half-and-half cells in lichen planus

In the course of a study of wound healing in four patients with lichen planus, we found transformed keratinocytes with a hitherto undescribed ultrastructure in both wounded and undisturbed papules. We have called these epidermal cells half-and-half cells because they showed changes on the one hand of increased synthetic activity and, on the other hand, of fibrillar transformation closely resembling that seen in fully developed colloid bodies. We suggest that these half-and-half cells may provide a useful clue to the early changes occurring in colloid body formation.     

Epidermal antigens in lichen planus

The loss of intercellular and basement membrane antigens has been associated with the development of epidermal cell dysplasia and neoplasia. The antigenic components of the epidermis have been investigated in lichen planus, lupus erythematosus and eczema, using pemphigoid and pemphigus sera by the indirect immunofluorescent staining method. In areas of active lichen planus there was extensive reduction or complete absence of basement membrane antigen. Intercellular antigen was preserved in lichen planus although in some damaged rete ridges it appeared to be reduced. Both these antigens were well preserved in lupus erythematosus and eczema. Loss of epithelial antigens is therefore not confined to the development of neoplasia.