Lichen Planus: Evaluation of Cells in Skin Lesions and of T‐lymphocyte Subsets in Blood

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the phenotype of cutaneous immunocompetent cells and to quantify Langerhans cells in Lichen planus by the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against T‐cell populations. Helper cells (OKT4+) and Suppressor/cytotoxic cells (OKT8+) were observed in all cutaneous infiltrates, and numerous Langerhans cells were identified by OKT6, BL6, and BL2 (HLA‐DR) in the epidermis and dermis. The quantification of Langerhans cells demonstrated that the number of dendritic cells in epidermis is greater in involved skin than in non‐involved skin. In recent lesions, Langerhans cells are more abundant than in older lesions. The results in peripheral blood indicated a T Helper/Suppressor imbalance with a decreased T‐Suppressor/cytotoxic subpopulation in patients with lichen planus diseases. In lichen planus, our results suggest an immunological reaction involving all the immunocompetent cell subpopulations with a first stage of information by Langerhans cells (OKT6+, BL6+, BL2+ (HLA‐DR)) and Helper cells (OKT4+), and second stage mediated by Suppressor/cytotoxic cells (OKT8+).

A comparative immunohistochemical and immunophenotypical study on lymphocytes expression in patients affected by oral lichen planus

“…Previous immunological studies of OLP patients have already suggested a reduced CD8 lymphocyte expression on peripheral blood : comparing lichen and a control group, our results follow these findings, evidencing a lower expression of CD8 lymphocytes both on RL and WL groups compared with the control group, and this confirms the association of OLP with altered immune expression. A classic reduced expression of CD4 lymphocytes in peripheral blood, underlined by Porter et al.…”

Extent and diversity of inflammatory cell infiltrates in squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell epitheliomas of the head and neck

“…As in our SCC series, markedly diminished helpet/suppressor ratios were found in most of the oral earcinoma cases examined by Hitatsuka et al (52), and in skin tumors of different type and histogenesis (22). It is of utmost interest that in leukoplakias without epithelial dysplasia dense infiltrates of CD4+ and CD8' lymphocytes were seen in the eonneetive tissue.…”

Immunohistochemical analysis of cells in mucosal lesions of oral lichen planus

“…Reeent research has focused on the etiological role of these infiltrated mononuclear cells. Frequent attempts to analyze the T lymphocyte subsets in the lesion with tiionoclonal antibodies (MoAb) (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11) have not defined their etiologic role. These studies gave priority to an examination of the effector cells rather than the target cells in the affected lesions.…”