title: [Expression and significance of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell cacinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the differences among the expressions of p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), phospho-p38MAPK and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study, 53 cases of OLP, 45 of OSCC, and 18 controls were obtained and 4-μm-thick histological sections were prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks.The expressions of p38MAPK,phospho-p38MAPK and NF-κB were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. Furthermore, the expressions of p38MAPK and phospho-p38MAPK were detected using Western blotting analyses in the fresh tissues from 11 cases of OLP, 5 cases of OSCC, and 7 cases of the controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  p38MAPK was over-expressed in the lamina propria, but lowly expressed in the epithelium in OLP group. Phospho-p38MAPK was lower expressed in OLP group than in OSCC and control groups.NF-κB was found over-expressed in the lamina propria in OLP group.p38MAPK was found expressed in all the samples in the 3 groups. The expression of phospho-p38MAPK was observed in 8 (8/11) OLP samples, 5 (5/5) OSCC samples and 4 (4/7) controls by Western blotting, but no significant differences were found within the 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  p38MAPK can be detected in normal oral mucosa, OLP and OSCC. Phospho-p38MAPK may be related to the onset and progression of OSCC. The role of p38MAPK in OLP is yet to be revealed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: X S
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: X S
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hua
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000201:enzymology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases