[Gene expression of epidermal growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor in oral lichen planus].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), c-fos and c-jun in oral lichen planus (OLP).


METHODS
The levels of gene expression of EGF, EGFR, c-fos and c-jun were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 10 cases of erosive OLP, 12 cases of reticular OLP and 9 cases of normal oral mucosa. Protein contents and distribution of EGF, EGFR, C-fos and C-jun were examined with immunohistochemical technique in different tissues.


RESULTS
The endogenous levels of EGFR mRNA and protein in erosive OLP were (55.9 +/- 23.1)% and (71.1 +/- 10.1)%, respectively, and significantly higher than those in reticular OLP and normal oral mucosa. The mRNA contents of c-fos and c-jun were significantly higher in erosive OLP than in normal oral mucosa. The positive cell rates of c-fos and c-jun protein in erosive OLP were 1.3 and 1.5 times of those in normal oral mucosa, respectively (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The probability of carcinomatous change of erosive OLP might be higher than that of reticular OLP, in which EGF and EGFR might play an important role.
Fu
Jie
J
Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Stomatology, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China.
Chen
Wei
W
Sun
Zheng
Z
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors