Background: Caspase-3 (CPP32) and Bax expression levels in oral lichen planus (OLP) lesions are considered reliable markers of apoptosis. The malignant transformation of OLP remains a very controversial matter. The objective of this study was to compare histological and apoptotic phenomena between atrophic-erosive and reticular forms of OLP.
Methods: Analysis was conducted of biopsy samples from 18 patients with reticular and 14 with atrophic-erosive OLP. Conventional histology techniques were used to quantify histological markers of OLP and peroxidase/anti-peroxidase techniques to determine apoptosis markers caspase-3 (CPP32) and Bax.
Results: More Civatte bodies and lymphocyte exocytosis were observed in atrophic-erosive than reticular OLP samples, without any statistical difference. No statistical significant differences in caspase-3 expression were found between these OLP forms in suprabasal layer (58.3% vs. 43.8%), basal layer (83.3% vs. 68.8%) or infiltrate (69.2% vs. 46.6%). Bax expression was relatively infrequent, and no differences were observed between atrophic-erosive and reticular forms.
Conclusions: The low frequency of apoptotic phenomena (caspase-3 and Bax) in epithelial cells of OLP may create a favourable substrate for malignant transformation. However, there does not seem to be an association with the clinical form (atrophic-erosive or reticular).