ASSESSMENT OF SELECT SERUM CYTOKINES TNF-A AND IL-22 IN ORAL LICHEN PLANUS PATIENTS

Abstract

Introduction Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects oral mucous membranes and skin. Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and Interleukin 22 (IL-22) in blood may impact disease progression in oral lichen planus. Methods 97 patients aged 18 to 60 years were studied including 35 with erosive oral lichen planus, 32 with non-erosive oral lichen planus and 30 healthy control subjects of similar age. The levels of serum cytokines TNF-α, IL-22, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (“Immunotech”; France). Results During relapse of erosive oral lichen planus there is change in select cytokines compared with control group levels including IL-22 (36.2±4.1 pg/ml) being 9 - fold increased versus healthy controls (4.2±0.4 pg/ml) and TNF-α being 4.3- fold increased (0.3±1.6 pg/ml versus 1.3±1.2 pg/ml). In erosive chronic OLP there is an increase in IL-22 by 4.5 – fold (18.4±2.2 pg/ml), and an increase of TNF-α by 1.8- fold (0.6±0.4 pg/ml) compared to healthy controls (4.2±0.4 pg/ml and 0.3±1.6 pg/ml, respectively). In chronic non-erosive oral lichen planus IL-22 was reduced 2.1- fold and TNF-α reduced 0.8- fold in comparison to OLP relapse (p Conclusions Acute relapse and chronic stages of lichen planus of the oral mucosa are characterized by immunological changes detectable in peripheral blood serum including increases in TNF-α and IL-22, characteristic of development of a recurrent inflammatory immune response and chronic persistent erosive disease.