Immuno-expression of MMP-9 in patients with asymptomatic & symptomatic oral lichen planus – A clinicopathological study

Abstract

Background: Oral lichen planus has been a mucosal disease of much enigma in speciality of oral medicine and pathology due to it’s intertwined pathophysiology, unidentifiable etiologic factors and absence of suitable management regimen to maintain its remission. Unfolding of pathologic progression in order to identify and further ameliorate the key process or etiology causing it’s manifestation. In the present study we used MMP-9 to get an insight of histopathological feature of both symptomatic and asymptomatic variant of OLP and compare their expression. Methodology: Study consist of asymptomatic -Group-A (reticular) and symptomatic -group-B (atrophic, erosive) oral lichen planus. Following incisional biopsy paraffinized blocks were prepared. Tissue sections were stained with routine H and E and immunostain MMP-9. Immuonpositive cells were counted in the epithelium and connective tissue at 40X magnification, mean was calculated. Pattern of expression and distribution of MMP-9 was evaluated. Results: The age group ranged from 23 - 75 years of age with mean age of 45.70 years, with female predominance. The comparison of expression of MMP-9 in group A and B showed a significantly higher expression in Group B than group A. No significant relation of variant of OLP with any gender was detected. No significant difference elicited on noting the pattern of expression in variants of OLP. It was noted that erosive and atrophic forms of OLP has significantly higher MMP-9 expression than reticular OLP. Conclusion: A statistically significant expression of MMP-9 in symptomatic variant of OLP was seen when compared to asymptomatic type, however no significance was seen in pattern of expression of MMP-9 in different cell layers of both variants of OLP.