Expression of TNF-α in oral lichen planus treated with fluocinolone acetonide 0.1%

BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common chronic inflammatory disease involving T cells-mediated immunity. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha has been reported to be involved in the disease process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fluocinolone acetonide in orabase (FAO) 0.1% on the expression of TNF-alpha in patients with OLP. METHODS: Eighteen Thai patients with atrophic or erosive OLP were recruited. Biopsy specimens were taken before and 1 month after treatment with FAO 0.1% and sent for histopathologic examination where they were immunohistochemically stained with antibody to TNF-alpha. Twenty normal mucosa specimens were identically processed. Oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue was used as a positive control for TNF-alpha expression, whereas OLP sections without primary antibody were served as negative control. RESULTS: Sixteen of 18 cases (88.89%) of OLP exhibited positive staining for TNF-alpha. Most of the TNF-alpha was observed in the mononuclear cells. Ten cases (55.56%) of OLP demonstrated TNF-alpha expression in keratinocytes. The number of mononuclear cells positive for TNF-alpha before the treatment with FAO 0.1% in orabase was statistically higher than that after the treatment (P=0.000) and in the normal mucosa (P=0.000). Moreover, the number of mononuclear cells after treatment with FAO 0.1% in orabase was statistically lower than before the treatment (P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Our study exhibited that TNF-alpha may be associated with the immunopathogenesis of OLP in Thai patients and FAO 0.1% had an effect on the reduction of TNF-alpha expression.     

Alteration of the Expression of CD4 Isoforms in Oral Epithelia and Saliva from Patients with Oral Lichen Planus

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucosal disease that cell-mediated immunological mechanisms are involved in pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of CD44 isoforms including CD44s, CD44v5, and CD44v6 in biopsy specimens and saliva from OLP patients. Thirty-one OLP patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of CD44 isoforms in oral epithelia, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure levels of salivary CD44 isoforms. Our results demonstrated that expression of CD44v6 in oral epithelia from OLP patients was significantly decreased in comparison to controls (p = 0.021). Levels of salivary CD44s and CD44v5 from OLP patients were significantly higher than those from controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002, respectively). In summary, our findings provided additional evidence that the pathological stress, such as chronic inflammation, altered the expression of CD44 isoforms in oral epithelia and saliva of OLP patients. An erratum to this article can be found at     

A randomized controlled trial to compare steroid with cyclosporine for the topical treatment of oral lichen planus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of cyclosporine solution versus triamcinolone acetonide in orabase in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP) in reducing signs and symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred thirty-nine biopsy-proven OLP patients were randomly assigned to cyclosporine (68) or steroid (71) applied onto the target lesion and affected areas. Assessments were at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8 by clinical scoring and grid measurement of the target lesion (reticulation, erythema, ulceration). Patients ranked severity of pain and burning sensation using visual analog scales. RESULTS: Although clinical response, pain, burning sensation, area of reticulation, erythema, and ulceration at week 4 were all worse in patients receiving cyclosporine than in those receiving steroid, the differences were not statistically significant. Large patient-to-patient variability was evident over the observation period, with little evidence of marked changes in levels over time in both treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Topical cyclosporine appears no more effective than steroid in the treatment of oral lichen planus.     

A randomized-controlled trial to compare topical cyclosporin with triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of oral lichen planus

BACKGROUND: Various treatments have been employed to treat symptomatic oral lichen planus (OLP), but a complete cure is very difficult to achieve because of its recalcitrant nature. Topical cyclosporin therapy of OLP has shown conflicting results in many reports. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cyclosporin solution with triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% in orabase in the treatment of Thai patients with OLP. METHODS: Thirteen Thai patients with symptomatic OLP and proven by biopsy were randomly assigned treatment with cyclosporin (six) or triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% (seven). The patients were instructed to apply cyclosporin or triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% three times daily at the marker lesions and affected areas. The assessments were at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8 by clinical scoring and grid measurement of the target lesions. Cyclosporin levels were assessed at weeks 2 and 8 of treatment. Pain and burning sensation were evaluated by linear visual analogue scale (0-10). RESULTS: OLP patients in the triamcinolone acetonide group showed equal cases of clinical complete and partial remission (50%). Whereas, in the cyclosporin group, there was partial remission in only two cases (33.5%) and no response in four cases (66.7%). However, our study showed that there were no statistical differences in pain, burning sensation and clinical response in OLP patients between the two groups (P > 0.01). Moreover, five of six cases in the cyclosporin group developed side-effects such as transient burning sensation, itching, swelling lips, petechial haemorrhages and others. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that topical cyclosporin did not provide any beneficial effect and was not more effective than triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% in the treatment of Thai patients with symptomatic OLP.     

Alteration of the Expression of CD4 Isoforms in Oral Epithelia and Saliva from Patients with Oral Lichen Planus

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucosal disease that cell-mediated immunological mechanisms are involved in pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of CD44 isoforms including CD44s, CD44v5, and CD44v6 in biopsy specimens and saliva from OLP patients. Thirty-one OLP patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of CD44 isoforms in oral epithelia, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure levels of salivary CD44 isoforms. Our results demonstrated that expression of CD44v6 in oral epithelia from OLP patients was significantly decreased in comparison to controls (p = 0.021). Levels of salivary CD44s and CD44v5 from OLP patients were significantly higher than those from controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002, respectively). In summary, our findings provided additional evidence that the pathological stress, such as chronic inflammation, altered the expression of CD44 isoforms in oral epithelia and saliva of OLP patients.