Lichen planus--specific antigen in oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid drug eruptions.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the usefulness of lichen planus-specific antigen as a marker to distinguish idiopathic oral lichen planus from oral lichenoid drug eruptions.


METHODS
Biopsy samples were taken from 6 patients with oral lichenoid drug eruptions and 6 patients with idiopathic oral lichen planus. Each biopsy sample was examined for the presence of lichen planus-specific antigen by using a modification of a previously described immunofluorescence method that uses autologous serum and also allogenic sera from the remaining 11 cases.


RESULTS
All autologous and allogenic immunofluorescence tests showed negative findings for lichen planus-specific antigen.


CONCLUSIONS
Lichen planus-specific antigen is not a useful marker to distinguish oral lichenoid drug eruptions from idiopathic lichen planus. This finding is in contrast with our findings in an earlier study of basal cell cytoplasmic autoantibodies.
McCartan
B E
BE
Trinity Colllege, School of Dental Science, Dublin, Ireland.
Lamey
P
P
D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D017512:Lichenoid Eruptions / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D015415:Biomarkers