Immunopathologic studies of oral lichen planus

• Project/Area Number: 09470449
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: NAGURA Hideaki Nihon University, Professor, 松戸歯学部, 教授 (80013960)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OGURA Naomi Nihon University, Assistant, 松戸歯学部, 副手 (10152448) ; ANDO Kenji Nihon University, Assistant, 松戸歯学部, 助手 (70277466) ; KAMATA Nobuyuki Tokushima University, Assistant Professor, 歯学部, 助教授 (70242211) ; TAKAHASHI Yuzo Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Assistant Professor, 歯学部, 助教授 (50014329)
• Project Period (FY): 1997 – 1998
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000); Fiscal Year 1998: ¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000); Fiscal Year 1997: ¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
• Keywords: Oral lichen planus / T cells / HLA / DRB1 / DQB1 / DPB1 / DQB1 / DPB1 / CD40

Research Abstract

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is one of the most common oral mucosal diseases. Clinically, OLP frequently presents as multiple white lacy lesions that occur most commonly on the buccal mucosa and tongue. Histologically, OLP is characterized by a dense band-like lymphocytic infiltrate in the immediate sub-epithelial region with basal epithelial cell destruction. Etiologies for OLP remain unknown, although the pathogenesis of the disease is considered to involve cell-mediated immunity. In this studies, we have examined immunohistochemical investigation and human leukocyte antigens (HLA) typing in OLP.
Immunohistochernical study indicated that the OLP lymphocyte infiltrate comprises principally T cells. These T cells were observed to be close to the damaged basement membrane. Numbers of T lymphocytes were significantly increased in erosive OLP tissue compared with normal epithelium (p<O.05). Numbers of cells expressing HLA class II (HLA-DR, DQ, DP) were also increased in erosive OLP epithelium compared with normal (p<O.O5). However, MIB-l-positive cells did not differ significantly. Thus, HLA-II-positive cells may be activating infiltrating T cells and causing damaging epithelium.
HLA are cell-surface receptors that are fundamental to cell-to-cell interaction in all immunologic responses. In many instances, close associations have been found between disease susceptibility and the response of one or more specific HLA.Therefore, we determined the frequency of HLA class I and class II antigens on lymphocytes in Japanese patients with OLP.The study group consisted 17 OLP patients and 17 control. The frequency of HLA-A2, All, B35, Cwl and Cw7 may be increased in OLP.We also studied HLA-DRB1, DQB 1 and DPB 1 alleles. Slight increase in the frequency of DRB1*0405, DQB1*0301 and DQB1*0401 found in a group of OLP patients. However, there were no significant differences in the frequency of HLA between OLP patients and control. We will be studding HLA typing in a number of OLP patients and control.