COX-2 expression in oral lichen planus.
Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause, which possesses the potential for malignant transformation. Cyclooxygenases (COX) 1 and 2 are two enzymes known to convert arachidonic acid into prostaglandins. Recent studies have shown an overexpression of COX-2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its precursor lesions. The present study investigated the expression of the COX-2 protein in OLP by Western blot analysis. Thirty patients with different degrees of histologically confirmed disease activity participated in the study: 9 patients had a recent onset of active OLP, 12 patients had atrophic OLP with moderate or low activity, and 9 patients presented with atrophic OLP with complete loss of activity. The results showed a high expression of COX-2 in all OLP patients in comparison with the control group. The differences in COX-2 expression in the various stages of OLP were not statistically significant. In conclusion, our results suggest that COX-2 is present during the various clinical forms of OLP. The resulting sustained overexpression of COX-2 in the late stage of the disease could play a role in the malignant transformation of some OLP.
Laboratory of Histopathology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. slysitsa@hotmail.com
Stella
S
Lysitsa
Jacky
J
Samson
Christine
C
Gerber-Wicht
Ursula
U
Lang
Tommaso
T
Lombardi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2