Immunohistochemical expression of Bcl-2 and Ki-67 in oral lichen planus and leukoplakia with different degrees of dysplasia

摘要

ObjectivesOral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause. Malignant transformation in OLP lesions may be favored by changes in the expression of proteins that regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate these issues by immunohistochemical staining for Bcl-2 and Ki-67 and by correlating histopathological findings in samples from lesions of OLP and leukoplakia with epithelial dysplasia.