title: Changes in miRNA expression in sera and correlation to duration of disease in patients with multifocal mucosal lichen planus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mucosal lichen planus is a severe variant of lichen planus, Lichen planus (LP), which in many ways affect patients' lives. The aetiology is not fully understood, and there is no treatment clearing the disease once and for all. Oral LP has by the WHO been classified as a precancerous lesion. Micro-RNAs, miRNAs, are non-coding, small single-stranded RNAs involved in biological processes like apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, metastasis, angiogenesis and immune response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In sera from 30 patients with multifocal mucosal LP, 15 miRNAs were identified as significantly differentially expressed compared with controls. The three most up-regulated miRNAs are all connected to oral squamous cell carcinoma or epithelial carcinoma in general.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even if no specific LP-associated miRNA profile was found, data clearly indicate that miRNAs could play a role in the earlier phases of lichen planus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine/Dermatology and Venereology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. elisabet.nylander@dermven.umu.se
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nylander
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.forename: Ylva-Britt
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Wahlin
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boldrup
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nylander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D035683:MicroRNAs; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; C542359:MIRN143 microRNA, human; C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; C525067:MIR223, human; C540193:MIrn181 microRNA, human