The effect of topical corticosteroids on Ki67 and p53 expression in vulval lichen sclerosus
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Published on: April 20, 2018
K J Rolfe1, J C Crow, W M N Reid
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Free and University College Medical School (Royal Free Campus), Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, U.K.
Background:
Topical corticosteroids have become the treatment of choice for genital lichen sclerosus (LS) and are believed to be required for long-term relief of symptoms.
Objective:
To compare vulval LS that had been treated with topical corticosteroids, vulval LS that had not received topical corticosteroids, and histologically normal vulval skin.
Methods:
We used immunohistochemistry to look for Ki67 expression and abnormal p53 expression.
Results:
We found a statistically significant difference for p53 overexpression, with increased levels seen when comparing corticosteroid-treated LS with normal genital skin (P = 0.011). Ki67 expression was also significantly higher in the corticosteroid-treated group compared with normal genital skin (P = 0.001), and increased levels were also found in the treated group compared with untreated LS (P = 0.05).
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that topical corticosteroids have an effect on cell cycle proteins in genital skin and, in particular, genital skin with LS changes.
