| OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the Golli-MBP and Th1/Th2 balance in oral lichen planus (OLP).MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of Golli-MBP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investigated in erythematous/erosive OLP (20 cases), reticular OLP (16 cases) and controls (19 cases) using RT-PCR and Western Blot methods. IFN-gamma (putative Th1 cytokine) and IL-4 (putative Th2 cytokine) in PBMC or serum were also investigated by RT-PCR and ELISA in all cases.RESULTS: RT-PCR results showed that Golli-MBP mRNA was overexpressed in erythematous/erosive and reticular OLP as compared with control group (p < 0.01). Expression of IL-4 mRNA was also upregulated in erythematous/erosive and reticular OLP (p < 0.01). In contrast, the expression of IFN-gamma mRNA was lower in erythematous/erosive and reticular OLP than in controls (p < 0.01). Western blot assay indicated that erythematous/erosive and reticular OLP patients had a higher expression level of Golli-MBP protein in PBMC (p < 0.01). Both erythematous/erosive and reticular OLP patients showed a lower-level IFN-gamma (p < 0.01) but higher-level IL-4 (p < 0.01) expression than controls. However, there were no significant differences between erythematous/erosive and reticular groups. In addition, negative correlation was detected between Golli-MBP and Th1/Th2 balance. The correlation coefficient between Golli-MBP mRNA and IFN-gamma mRNA/IL-4 mRNA is -0.838 (P < 0.001), while correlation coefficient between Golli-MBP and IFN-gamma/IL-4 is -0.490 (P = 0.002).CONCLUSIONS: The data accumulated here strongly indicate that Golli-MBP was involved in the pathogenesis of OLP by regulating the Th1/Th2 balance. |
