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Published on: July 8, 2021
Osteopontin expression in oral lichen planus.
Zeng-Tong Zhou1, Ben-Juan Wei, Peng Shi
1Department of Oral Medicine, Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital, School of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China. benjuanwei@yahoo.com.cn
Summary
Osteopontin (OPN) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels are elevated in oral lichen planus (OLP) patients, suggesting OPN may be a potential disease marker for OLP.
Area of Science:
- Oral pathology
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting oral mucosa.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of OLP is crucial for clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the serum levels of osteopontin (OPN), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in patients with OLP.
- To assess the potential of these molecules as clinical biomarkers for OLP.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of OPN in local lesion tissue.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure serum levels of OPN, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta1.
- Comparison between 26 OLP patients and 26 age- and sex-matched controls.
Main Results:
- Serum concentrations of OPN and TNF-alpha were significantly higher in OLP patients compared to controls (P < 0.05).
- Serum TGF-beta1 levels showed a slight, non-significant increase in OLP patients.
- Erosive-form OLP demonstrated significantly elevated serum TGF-beta1 levels compared to the reticular form.
Conclusions:
- Osteopontin (OPN) production is linked to the inflammatory processes in OLP development.
- OPN may serve as a potential diagnostic marker for oral lichen planus.
- TGF-beta1 levels may differentiate between OLP subtypes.