title: Fibrogenic cytokines in vulvar lichen sclerosus. An immunohistochemical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression of fibrogenic cytokines in lichen sclerosus (LS) infiltrate as compared with lichen planus (LP) infiltrate.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Second Dermatology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spallanzani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma