Expression profile of chemokines and chemokine receptors in epithelial cell layers of oral lichen planus.
BACKGROUND
To understand the immunopathological features of oral lichen planus (OLP), we analyzed the expression of chemokines in the epithelial cell layers.


METHODS
Epithelia from OLP or healthy gingiva were collected by laser microdissection. The chemokine and chemokine receptor expressions in the epithelia were analyzed by DNA microarray.


RESULTS
High levels of MIP-3alpha/LARC/CCL20 and its receptor CCR6 were expressed in the lesional epithelia. Furthermore, DC-CK1/CCL18, ELC/CCL19, SDF-1/CXCL12 and CXCR4 expressions were also increased. Immunohistologial analysis showed that high numbers of Langerhans cells (LCs) were present in the epithelia of OLP. Lesional epithelia also expressed high levels of the ligands specific for CXCR3 (e.g. MIG/CXCL9, IP-10/CXCL10 and I-TAC/CXCL11) and CCR5 (e.g. RANTES/CCL5).


CONCLUSIONS
Infiltration of LCs is orchestrated by CCR6. Further, LCs residing in the lesional epithelia may be a mature phenotype. Moreover, infiltration of T cells in OLP could be mediated by signaling pathways through CXCR3 and CCR5.
Ichimura
Mana
M
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Chiba, Japan.
Hiratsuka
Koichi
K
Ogura
Naomi
N
Utsunomiya
Tadahiko
T
Sakamaki
Hiroyuki
H
Kondoh
Toshirou
T
Abiko
Yoshimitsu
Y
Otake
Shigeo
S
Yamamoto
Masafumi
M
D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000276:immunology*; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D018925:Chemokines; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine