Assessment of Langerhans' cells in oral lichen planus using monoclonal antibodies

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Abstract
To demonstrate Langerhans'' cells in epithelium of oral lichen planus, monoclonal antibodies were used as immunological markers in combination with immunohistochemistry. By the use of anti-Ia antibodies the Langerhans'' cells were shown to express an increased number of Ia-like antigens in comparison to the amounts found in healthy oral mucosa. The subepithelial infiltrate of mononuclear cells expressed identical Ia-like antigens on their surfaces. With anti-T6 antibodies as immunological markers, the number of Langerhans'' cells was virtually identical in diseased and healthy epithelium. Treatment of oral lichen planus with tretinoin resulted in a decrease of epithelial Ia-like antigens compared with the number found in untreated lesions. However, treatment with tretinoin did not alter the frequency of Langerhans'' cell marked with anti-T6 antibodies. The present data demonstrate an increased amount of Ia-like antigens/number of T6-positive Langerhans'' cells in diseased oral mucosa compared to healthy conditions. The increased expression of Ia-like antigens on Langerhans'' cells and the contemporary finding of Ia-like antigens on the subepithelial T-cells support the opinion that the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus is mainly a cell-mediated type of immunological reaction.