Evaluation of Desmoglein-3 Autoantibodies in the Tissues of Atrophic/Bullous Erosive Oral Lichen Planus and Correlation with Disease Severity

Oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic disease and one of the most common dermatoses of the oral mucosa, is characterized by white streaks in a lacelike pattern on the tongue and/or buccal mucosa. The disease is also accompanied by chronic inflammation, the degree of which, correlates with the intensity of the symptoms.

OLP occurs more frequently than the cutaneous form and tends to be more persistent and more resistant to treatment. It affects one to two percent of the general adult population, with a higher prevalence in the female gender, and occurs predominantly in adults over 40, although younger adults and children may be affected .

The most common site of oral involvement is the buccal mucosa followed by the tongue and gingiva, but any site of the oral mucosa can be affected. Clinically, OLP is classified as reticular, atrophic, erosive, plaque-type, and bullous. The reticular pattern is the most common form. It is generally asymptomatic and requires no treatment. In contrast, atrophic-erosive forms usually manifest as erythematous, ulcerative lesions associated with symptoms, fluctuating from mild burning sensation to severe pain, interfering with eating and speaking .

Furthermore, OLP is considered a potentially malignant disorder with a transformation rate of about 1.09%, with greater risk among those with atrophic-erosive forms.

The etiology and pathogenesis of OLP are not completely understood. Several factors have been implicated in the etiology and several hypotheses have been proposed for its pathogenesis.