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. 2011 May;15(2):127-32.
doi: 10.4103/0973-029X.84474.

Oral lichen planus: An update on pathogenesis and treatment

N Lavanya  1 , P Jayanthi, Umadevi K Rao, K Ranganathan
Affiliations

Oral lichen planus: An update on pathogenesis and treatment

N Lavanya et al. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2011 May.

Abstract

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the mucus membrane of the oral cavity. It is a T-cell mediated autoimmune disease in which the cytotoxic CD8+ T cells trigger apoptosis of the basal cells of the oral epithelium. Several antigen-specific and nonspecific inflammatory mechanisms have been put forward to explain the accumulation and homing of CD8+ T cells subepithelially and the subsequent keratinocyte apoptosis. A wide spectrum of treatment modalities is available, from topical corticosteroids to laser ablation of the lesion. In this review, we discuss the various concepts in the pathogenesis and current treatment modalities of OLP.

Keywords: Apoptosis; autoimmune; basal keratinocytes; corticosteroids; oral lichen planus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proposed sites of action based on property of drugs in oral lichen planus
Figure 2
Figure 2
Protocol/algorithm for treatment of oral lichen planus
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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