A role for the substance P/NK-1 receptor complex in cell proliferation and apoptosis in oral lichen planus.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether substance P (SP) and NK-1 receptor (NK-1R) are expressed in oral lichen planus (OLP) and are related to cell proliferation and apoptosis in this disease.


METHODS
Tissue samples from 50 OLP patients and 26 healthy controls were studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed with anti-SP, anti-NK-1R, anti-ki-67 and anti-caspase-3 monoclonal antibodies and the clinical and pathological data of the OLP patients were evaluated.


RESULTS
With the exception of NK-1R expression in epithelial cell membrane and cytoplasm, all markers were more frequently present in OLP patients than in controls (P < 0.05). Higher cytoplasmatic expression of NK-1R was associated with higher epithelial expression of caspase-3 (P < 0.05). Higher epithelial expression of NK-1R and SP was associated with higher suprabasal and basal epithelial expression of ki-67 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Actions of the SP/NK-1R complex may contribute to the immune disorder underlying OLP and trigger stimuli to induce cell proliferation. These results indicate that this complex might play a role in the malignant transformation of OLP.
González Moles
M A
MA
Granada School of Dentistry, Oral Medicine, Granada University, Granada, Spain. magonzal@ugr.es
Esteban
F
F
Ruiz-Avila
I
I
Gil Montoya
J A
JA
Brener
S
S
Bascones-Martínez
A
A
Muñoz
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*
D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D013373:Substance P; D053148:Caspase 3