FoxP3CD4, IFN-γCD4, and IFN-γCD8 cell levels in erosive and non-erosive types of oral lichen planus patients.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a localized autoimmune oral mucosal disease. This study evaluated whether different types of OLP patients including erosive OLP (EOLP), major EOLP, minor EOLP, and non-erosive OLP (NEOLP) patients had significantly higher percentages of FoxP3CD4 or IFN-γCD4 cells in total CD4 cells, and of IFN-γCD8 cells in total CD8 cells than healthy control subjects and whether the patient's age had significant influences on these cell percentages in OLP patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Flow cytometry was used to count the FoxP3CD4, IFN-γCD4, or IFN-γCD8 cell levels in 183 OLP patients (67 major EOLP, 81 minor EOLP, and 35 NEOLP patients) and 20 healthy control subjects.

RESULTS

Major EOLP patients had a significantly higher FoxP3CD4 cell percentage than health control subjects ( = 0.049) or minor EOLP patients ( = 0.008). Major EOLP patients had a significantly higher IFN-γCD4 or IFN-γCD8 cell percentage than healthy control subjects, NEOLP patients, or minor EOLP patients (all -values < 0.01). In addition, both 61-80 year and 41-60 year OLP patients had significantly higher IFN-γCD8 cell percentages than healthy control subjects or 20-40 year OLP patients (all -values < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Major EOLP patients tend to have significantly higher percentages of FoxP3CD4, IFN-γCD4, and IFN-γCD8 cells than healthy control subjects, NEOLP patients or minor EOLP patients, suggesting that FoxP3CD4 Treg cells are increased to modulate OLP disease activity. Increased number of IFN-γ-producing activated T cell may be involved in oral epithelial cell destruction in OLP patients.