[Expression of Fas and Fas ligand in infiltrating lymphocytes in patients with oral lichen planus].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) in T lymphocytes of oral lichen planus (OLP) and the effects of Fas, FasL and activation-induced cell death (AICD) on OLP.


METHODS
The oral mucosa samples from patients with OLP and normal oral mucosa were assessed by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine-5'-triphosphate (dUTP)-biotin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) assay for nucleosomal DNA fragmentation of apoptotic cells in infiltrating lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical technique was used for detection of expression level of Fas and FasL. Immunohistochemical double labeling was performed to examine the expression of Fas and FasL in CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells.


RESULTS
The rate of apoptosis in infiltrating lymphocytes of OLP was (1.9 +/- 1.8)%, which was lower than that of normal oral mucosa (P = 0.013). The expression of Fas and FasL were increased in lymphocytes of OLP (P = 0.005 and 0.000 respectively). The positive rate of double labeled cells of CD8+ and Fas+ was not increased in OLP (P = 0.313), and of CD8+ and FasL+ in OLP was higher than that of normal oral mucosa (P = 0.002). The expression of double labeled cells of CD4+ and Fas+ in OLP was higher than that of control group (P = 0.031). The expression of CD4+ and Fas+ T cells in reticular OLP were increased (P = 0.019), and of CD4+ and FasL+ did not show remarkable change (P = 0.097).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a low frequency of lymphocytic apoptosis. T cells, especially CD8+ T cells in OLP and CD4+T cells in atrophic-erosive OLP appeared to escape from AICD, which may account for the persistence of inflammation. Some CD4+ T cells in reticular OLP may go through AICD.
Lei
Lei
L
Department of Stomatology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China. tleil@jnu.edu.cn
Tan
Wei-xia
WX
Zhou
Xu-long
XL
Zheng
Pei-e
PE
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
C491901:FAS protein, human; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019014:fas Receptor