Role of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus

The etiology of oral lichen planus (OLP) is not fully understood. It is generally considered to be a T-cell mediated chronic inflammatory oral mucosal disease. There is increasing evidence that chronic inflammation is linked to the diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction and is involved in the induction of aberrant angiogenesis.

Our aim was to evaluate the role of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of OLP by immunohistochemistry, using the CD34 antibody.

Forty tissue sections (7 of erosive lichen planus, 18 of reticular oral lichen planus, and 15 of normal oral mucosa), were assessed for microvessel density (MVD) in five selected areas of high inflammatory infiltrate by immunohistochemistry for the expression of CD34 antibody.

The mean MVD was 44.47 in the control group (normal oral mucosa) and 97.24 in the OLP group, showing that there is increased angiogenesis in the latter. Reticular OLP had mean MVD of 84.61 and erosive OLP had mean MVD of 129.71, showing relatively greater angiogenesis in erosive OLP as compared to reticular OLP. Thus, angiogenesis can be considered to play a role in both the etiopathogenesis and the progression of OLP.