Annular lichen planus showing a change in metallothionein expression on immunohistochemistry

Abstract

The immunohistochemical localization of metallothioneins (MTs), low-molecular-weight metal-binding proteins, was investigated in a case of annular lichen planus (LP) that enlarged centrifugally with healing in the centre after a month. The annular lesion was found to exhibit the early, developed and late stages of LP, as judged by the clinical and histopathological findings. Immunostaining for MTs was increased around the lesion, discontinuous around the rim of the erythema and undetectable in the centre of the lesion. MT expression was examined in eight specimens of idiopathic LP. Discontinuous immunostaining for MTs was observed in six specimens and increased staining around the lesion was observed in two specimens. These results suggest that MT expression changes depending on the inflammatory stage of LP. Although the role of MTs in dermatological disease is still unknown, their expression might be related to the pathological process of LP.

Differential metallothionein expression in oral lichen planus and amalgam-associated oral lichenoid lesions

“…In the present study, we observed that MT expression is mainly observed in basal and parabasal layers of the oral epithelium, as previously described ( 11 , 19 , 20 ). In 1992, Hanada and collaborators explained that reactivity for MT in cutaneous lesions of lichen planus was concentrated in the granular layer of the epidermis, in the same way of healthy skin, but was less evident in the former ( 10 ).…”

“…Interestingly, an MT interrupted staining was found in the basal layer of interface dermatitis ( 21 ). In 1998, Matsuura, Tsukifuji, and Shinkai described MT expression in idiopathic annular lichen planus of the skin where MT immune staining increased as well, but it was discontinuous around the rim of erythema and undetectable in the center of the lesion ( 19 ). Other authors had depicted MT positivity in lower areas of the epidermis in one case of Palmoplantar lichen planus ( 20 ).…”

Metallothionein, a marker of antiapoptosis, is associated with clinical forms of oral lichen planus

“…MT has also been found to have a protective role against injury in psoriasis and skin lichen planus of the skin (24). In addition, MT expression changed depending on the inflammatory stage of the disease (25). This is in line with the findings of the present study, interpreting KLP and A/ ELP as different inflammatory stages of OLP, like in the skin, MT is differentially expressed in different stages of OLP.…”

Annular Lichen Planus

“…Metallothionein expression was increased in the periphery of the lesion but was undetectable in the center. 5 It was suggested that this difference depends on the inflammatory stage in different parts of the lesions.…”