Fetal microchimerism is not involved in the pathogenesis of lichen sclerosus of the vulva.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between fetal cell microchimerism and lichen sclerosus of the vulva. We searched for the presence of male cells and DNA in vulval tissue samples.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded skin biopsy samples from 15 women affected with vulval lichen sclerosus who gave birth to at least one son were analyzed for the presence of microchimeric male cells using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and fluorescent PCR. We included three lichen sclerosus samples originating from women without male offspring, six vulval specimens without pathological finding originating from autopsies and seven male gingival specimens as controls.


RESULTS
Nucleated cells containing Y-chromosome specific sequences were neither detected at any site of the lesions nor in normal vulval specimens by using FISH. These results were confirmed by the use of PCR amplification demonstrating only DNA sequences specific for the X chromosome. No female microchimerism was detected in the male gingival samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the limited number and size of the samples, we conclude that persistent male fetal cells are not involved in the pathogenesis of lichen sclerosus of the vulva, since we consistently could not detect Y-chromosome specific sequences by using two molecular techniques.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University Graz, Austria.
Margit
M
Bauer
Wolfgang
W
Weger
Irmgard
I
Orescovic
Eva Maria
EM
Hiebaum
Christoph
C
Benedicic
Uwe
U
Lang
Christof
C
Pertl
Barbara
B
Pertl
D046528:Chimerism; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D014844:Vulva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes