Foxp3 gene expression in oral lichen planus: A clinicopathological study

Abstract

CD4+CD25+ Forkhead‑box protein 3 (Foxp3+) regulatory T cells are important in oral lichen planus (OLP). The present study aimed to investigate Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25+ T cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and oral lesions in patients diagnosed with OLP, who were grouped as OLP subtype, duration and relapse. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry, Foxp3 expression levels in explants of oral lesions and CD4+CD25+ T cells from 32 patients with OLP were measured and compared, with 10 healthy subjects as the control group. Foxp3 mRNA expression levels in the explants of oral lesions and circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells in patients with OLP were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). In patients with clinically erosive lesions, Foxp3 mRNA expression was significantly lower in circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells and tissue explants compared to patients with reticular lesions (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively), and lowest in patients with a history of OLP of >1 year or with a history of relapse (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Foxp3 protein levels in reticular OLP were significantly higher than those in erosive OLP and the control group. The incidence of Foxp3 protein expression in OLP tissues was 36.24±18.92 and 10.44±6.51% in normal oral mucosa (P=0.019). Atrophic/erosive OLP lesions showed a higher proportion of Foxp3‑expressing cells than that of reticular OLP lesions (P<0.05). This study indicated that Foxp3 expression in patients with OLP is associated with the severity and duration of the disorder, suggesting altered immune suppression in the development, clinical course and responsiveness to treatment.

Clinical and Histopathologic Characterization of Canine Chronic Ulcerative Stomatitis

“…15 CD4þCD25þ Foxp3þ regulatory T cells have been shown to be associated with OLP, 30,44,51 as has dysregulation of Th17 cells 45,51 and the presence of CD3-IL-17þ cells. 15 Furthermore, the disturbed balance between Foxp3þ cells and IL-17 cells in OLP suggests altered local immune regulation.…”

Subset of CD8+ and FOXP3 + T cells in lichen planus associated with chronic hepatitis C infection

“…The literature has shown that the increase in the ratio of CD8 + cells to FoxP3 + cells is associated with the development of several autoimmune diseases (Mempel et al, ), including the case of OLP‐I. It should be emphasised that in the cases of OLP, there is also a correlation between clinical characteristics and immune phenotype of T lymphocytes as erosive lesions, whose clinical characteristics were more exacerbated and therapeutic control was difficult, showed an increase in the amount of CD8 + lymphocytes and a decrease in the amount of FoxP3 + lymphocytes (Lei et al, ; Lorenzini, Viviano, Chisci, Chisci, & Picciotti, ). As for OLP‐HCV, some researchers believe that the chronic infection by HCV can produce an even more exacerbated expression of CD8 + T cells, which explains the development of complex clinical courses compared to lichenoid lesions and OLP‐I (Mega, Jiang, & Takagi, ).…”

DNA methylation patterns of genes related to immune response in the different clinical forms of oral lichen planus

“…When the reaction is mild, there is stimulation of epithelial activity, resulting in striations or white plaques. More intense lymphocyte activity may result in ulceration or atrophy of the epithelium . As this study proposed to evaluate genes related to inflammation, the reticular and plaque clinical forms of the disease were grouped in the same pool.…”