Examination of circulating serum autoantibodies and hematinics is important for treatment of oral lichen planus

摘要

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory oral mucosal disease that affects 1–2% of the population.1 Clinically, OLP is divided into reticular, papular, plaque, atrophic, erosive, and bullous types.1 Both antigen-specific and non-specific mechanisms are involved in OLP. Antigen-specific mechanisms include antigen presentation by keratinocytes and Langerhans cells to CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and antigen-specific basal keratinocyte killing by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Non-specific mechanisms include mast cell degranulation, release of tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α and chymase, activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and migration of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes into the epithelium in OLP lesions.1 The above findings suggest that OLP is a T-lymphocyte-mediated chronic inflammatory oral mucosal disease.