Carli P, Moretti S, Spallanzani A, Berti E, Cattaneo A
Second Dermatology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florence, Italy.
J Reprod Med. 1997 Mar;42(3):161-5.
To evaluate the expression of fibrogenic cytokines in lichen sclerosus (LS) infiltrate as compared with lichen planus (LP) infiltrate.
Eight cases of vulvar LS (early stage, n = 3; well developed or old, n = 5) and 4 of vulvar LP were studied. Monoclonal antibodies directed against some of the major fibrogenic cytokines (IL-4, TGF-beta, IL-6) and against IFN-gamma, which inhibits collagen synthesis, were used per the alkaline phosphatase/anti-alkaline phosphatase technique on frozen sections.
Staining for IL-4 revealed higher expression of fibrogenic cytokines (more than 50% infiltrating cells) in the LS infiltrate, mainly in early lesions, than in LP. Conversely, staining for IFN-gamma in LS was poor (less than 10% infiltrating cells), while strong positivity (more than 60% infiltrating cells) was found in LP. Staining for TGF-beta, a mediator of fibrosis in scleroderma, was similar in both LS and LP dermis.
This study showed the immunohistochemical expression of fibrogenic cytokines in vulvar LS, with a different pattern as compared to that of LP. It is conceivable that dermal infiltrating cells actively participate, via cytokine production, in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in LS.
评估与扁平苔藓（LP）浸润相比，硬化性苔藓（LS）浸润中促纤维化细胞因子的表达情况。
研究了8例外阴LS（早期，n = 3；成熟或陈旧性，n = 5）和4例外阴LP。采用碱性磷酸酶/抗碱性磷酸酶技术，对冰冻切片使用针对一些主要促纤维化细胞因子（IL-4、转化生长因子-β、IL-6）以及抑制胶原蛋白合成的γ干扰素的单克隆抗体。
IL-4染色显示，LS浸润中促纤维化细胞因子的表达较高（超过50%的浸润细胞），主要在早期病变中，高于LP。相反，LS中γ干扰素染色较弱（少于10%的浸润细胞），而LP中呈强阳性（超过60%的浸润细胞）。在硬皮病中作为纤维化介质的转化生长因子-β染色，在LS和LP真皮中相似。
本研究显示了外阴LS中促纤维化细胞因子的免疫组化表达，与LP相比具有不同模式。可以设想，真皮浸润细胞通过细胞因子产生，积极参与LS纤维化的发病机制。
