title: Immunohistochemical expression of perforin in lichen planus lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory papulosquamous skin disease characterized by epidermal basal cell damage and a particular band-like infiltrate predominantly of T cells in the upper dermis. It is characterized by the formation of colloid bodies representing apoptotic keratinocytes. The apoptotic process mediated by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells mainly involves two distinct pathways: the perforin/granzyme pathway and the Fas/FasL pathway. So far, little is known regarding the role of perforin-mediated apoptosis in LP.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Is to study the expression and distribution of perforin in the epidermis and dermis of lesional LP skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Skin biopsy specimens from lesional skin of 31 patients with LP and 10 healthy persons were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant accumulation of perforin + cells was found in both epidermis and dermis of LP lesions compared with healthy skin. Perforin expression was significantly upregulated in the epidermis of LP lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accumulation of perforin + cells in the epidermis of LP lesions suggest a potential role of perforin in the apoptosis of basal keratinocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University , Shebeen-Elkoum , Egypt .
authors.forename: Mohamed Abdelwahed
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gaber
authors.forename: Alaa Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Maraee
authors.forename: Dalia Rifaat
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Alsheraky
authors.forename: Marwa Hussain Abdel
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Azeem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D054353:Perforin / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D054353:Perforin
keywords: Apoptosis; lichen planus; perforin