Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
J Oral Pathol Med. 2012 Nov;41(10):741-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2012.01169.x. Epub 2012 Jun 5.
The role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) has been elucidated in many human infectious, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. Previously, TLR2 and TLR4 expression in oral lichen planus (OLP) was described. The aim of our study was to examine expression patterns of TLR4 and TLR9 in normal oral mucosa and OLP and describe the effect of topical tacrolimus treatment on the expression of TLR4 and TLR9 in OLP.
Toll-like receptor 4 and TLR9 expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in five samples of normal oral mucosa and 50 samples of OLP (31 representing clinically white and 19 clinically erythematous/erosive lesions). We evaluated also the effect of topical tacrolimus on TLR4 and TLR9 expression in a patient with OLP.
Toll-like receptor 4 and TLR9 expression was increased in OLP epithelium compared with normal epithelium (P < 0.001); no significant difference between the two clinical types of OLP was observed. TLR9 expression was strongest in the superficial layer of the epithelium (P < 0.001), while the expression of TLR4 was strongest in the basal layer (P < 0.001). Treatment of OLP lesions with topical tacrolimus resulted in clinical improvement but had no effect on TLR expression levels.
Toll-like receptor 4 and TLR9 are induced in OLP; our finding confirms the results of a previous study. TLR4 and TLR9 may play a part in the pathogenesis of OLP. Further studies are needed to dissect the definitive role of TLRs in OLP pathogenesis and progression and to determine the effect of tacrolimus on the function of TLRs.
Toll 样受体（TLRs）在许多人类感染性、自身免疫性和肿瘤性疾病中的作用已经阐明。先前已经描述了口腔扁平苔藓（OLP）中 TLR2 和 TLR4 的表达。我们的研究目的是检测 TLR4 和 TLR9 在正常口腔黏膜和 OLP 中的表达模式，并描述局部他克莫司治疗对 OLP 中 TLR4 和 TLR9 表达的影响。
通过免疫组织化学分析 5 例正常口腔黏膜和 50 例 OLP 样本（31 例代表临床白色病变，19 例代表临床红斑/糜烂病变）中 TLR4 和 TLR9 的表达。我们还评估了局部他克莫司对 OLP 患者 TLR4 和 TLR9 表达的影响。
与正常上皮相比，OLP 上皮中的 TLR4 和 TLR9 表达增加（P < 0.001）；两种临床类型的 OLP 之间无显著差异。TLR9 表达在上皮的浅层最强（P < 0.001），而 TLR4 的表达在上皮的基底层最强（P < 0.001）。局部应用他克莫司治疗 OLP 病变可导致临床改善，但对 TLR 表达水平无影响。
TLR4 和 TLR9 在 OLP 中被诱导；我们的发现证实了先前研究的结果。TLR4 和 TLR9 可能在 OLP 的发病机制中发挥作用。需要进一步的研究来剖析 TLR 在 OLP 发病机制和进展中的明确作用，并确定他克莫司对 TLR 功能的影响。
