FoxP3+ CD4+, IFN-γ+ CD4+, and IFN-γ+ CD8+ cell levels in erosive and non-erosive types of oral lichen planus patients

Background/purpose: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a localized autoimmune oral mucosal disease. This study evaluated whether different types of OLP patients including erosive OLP (EOLP), major EOLP, minor EOLP, and non-erosive OLP (NEOLP) patients had significantly higher percentages of FoxP3(+)CD4(+) or IFN-gamma(+)CD4(+) cells in total CD4(+) cells, and of IFN-gamma(+)CD8(+) cells in total CD8(+) cells than healthy control subjects and whether the patient's age had significant influences on these cell percentages in OLP patients. Materials and methods: Flow cytometry was used to count the FoxP3(+)CD4(+), IFN-gamma(+)CD4(+), or IFN-gamma(+)CD8(+) cell levels in 183 OLP patients (67 major EOLP, 81 minor EOLP, and 35 NEOLP patients) and 20 healthy control subjects. Results: Major EOLP patients had a significantly higher FoxP3(+)CD4(+) cell percentage than health control subjects (P = 0.049) or minor EOLP patients (P = 0.008). Major EOLP patients had a significantly higher IFN-gamma(+)CD4(+) or IFN-gamma(+)CD8(+) cell percentage than healthy control subjects, NEOLP patients, or minor EOLP patients (all P-values <0.01). In addition, both 61-80 year and 41-60 year OLP patients had significantly higher IFN-gamma(+)CD8(+) cell percentages than healthy control subjects or 20-40 year OLP patients (all P-values < 0.005). Conclusion: Major EOLP patients tend to have significantly higher percentages of FoxP3(+)CD4(+), IFN-gamma(+)CD4(+), and IFN-gamma(+)CD8(+) cells than healthy control subjects, NEOLP patients or minor EOLP patients, suggesting that FoxP3(+)CD4(+) Treg cells are increased to modulate OLP disease activity. Increased number of IFN-gamma-producing activated T cell may be involved in oral epithelial cell destruction in OLP patients. (C) 2021 Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the percentages of specific cell types in different types of OLP patients compared to healthy controls, and found that major EOLP patients had higher levels of certain cells. Age was also found to have a significant influence on cell percentages in OLP patients.