A mechanistic linkage between oral lichen planus and autoimmune thyroid disease

• ObjectiveTo determine the levels of antithyroid antibodies and thyroid hormones in the sera of patients with oral lichen planus (OLP), and to quantify the expression of thyroid proteins in OLP lesions. Subjects and MethodsVenous blood samples were drawn from 110 patients with OLP who had no history of thyroid disease or levothyroxine supplementation (OLP+/LT4-). A random population sample of 657 healthy subjects was used as the control group. Two additional groups were used as comparators. Immunohistochemical and qPCR analyses were performed on tissue specimens collected from the patients with OLP and thyroid disease and healthy subjects. ResultsNo association was found between the presence of antithyroid antibodies and OLP. More patients in the OLP+/LT4- group showed high levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and low levels of free thyroxine than were seen in the control group. Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor was more highly expressed in the OLP lesions of patients with thyroid disease than in the healthy oral mucosa. ConclusionsA significant number of patients with OLP who are not previously diagnosed with thyroid disease have thyroid parameters that are compatible with hypothyroidism. The expression of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor in OLP lesions suggests that mechanisms related to autoimmune thyroid disease are involved in the aetiology of OLP.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Odontologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dentistry (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Allmänmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- General Practice (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Endokrinologi och diabetes (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Endocrinology and Diabetes (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Keyword

antithyroid antibodies

autoimmune thyroid disease

comorbidity

oral lichen planus

thyroid hormones

thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)