Up-regulation of EGF receptor and its ligands, AREG, EREG, and HB-EGF in oral lichen planus.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the roles of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family members and their ligands in oral lichen planus (OLP).


METHODS
The expressions of 4 EGFR-like receptors and 6 EGF-like ligands were measured in OLP tissues from 10 patients and compared with the levels in normal oral mucosa (NOM) from 10 healthy donors.


RESULTS
Of the receptors, only EGFR mRNA and protein were more highly expressed in OLP compared with NOM tissues. Regarding the ligands, the mRNAs of amphiregulin (AREG), epiregulin (EREG), and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) were more highly expressed in OLP compared with NOM tissues. These ligands were strongly expressed by infiltrating lamina propria lymphocytes as well as epithelial keratinocytes in OLP lesions, as shown by immunohistochemistry.


CONCLUSIONS
The enhanced EGFR expression on the keratinocytes in OLP lesions and the up-regulation of EGF-like ligands in keratinocytes and infiltrating mononuclear cells could contribute to the carcinogenesis and pathogenesis of OLP.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tsurumi University, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
Kenichi
K
Kumagai
Tatsuya
T
Horikawa
Akito
A
Gotoh
Shoji
S
Yamane
Hiroyuki
H
Yamada
Hiroshi
H
Kobayashi
Yoshiki
Y
Hamada
Satsuki
S
Suzuki
Ryuji
R
Suzuki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D066258:Amphiregulin; D066259:Betacellulin; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D066260:Epiregulin; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006493:Heparin / Q000032:analysis*; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3 / Q000032:analysis; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics*
D066258:Amphiregulin; D066259:Betacellulin; D017252:CD3 Complex; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066260:Epiregulin; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006493:Heparin; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; C587848:AREG protein, human; C587851:BTC protein, human; C587880:EREG protein, human; C587883:HBEGF protein, human; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human