A Study of Association Between Oral Lichen Planus and Immune Balance of Th1/Th2 Cells

The aims of this study are to investigate the key role of Th1 and Th2 in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) and to explore the possible association between OLP and immune balance of Th1/Th2 cells. We selected 35 patients diagnosed with OLP and 35 age- and sex-matched controls as subjects. The expressed level of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) and the characteristic cytokines of Th1 and Th2 were assayed in the serum of peripheral blood of the patients. The lesional tissue of the two groups was investigated with the methods of double immunofluorescence. The ratio of Th1/Th2 was evaluated, and the difference of the results between serum and lesional tissue was compared. Both IFN-γ and IL-4 levels increased in the serum and lesional tissue compared with those of the controls (P < 0.001, P = 0.030, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001) and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio of OLP patients, which increased significantly (P = 0.001 and P = 0.003). The difference between serum and lesional tissue was obviously insignificant (P = 0.982). Th1 cytokine predominance was proven in this research on Chinese subjects. Th1 cells may play leading roles on Th1/Th2 immune balance to pathogenesis of OLP.