Frequency of micronucleated exfoliated cells in oral lichen planus

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of micronucleated exfoliated cells (MEC) in atrophic and erosive oral lichen planus (OLP).Materials and methodsTwenty-two patients with atrophic and/or erosive OLP participated in this study. Lesions were scored ranging from 0 (no lesion) to 5 (large erosion) according to the severity and assessed for MEC. Exfoliated cells were obtained by swabbing the lesions and normal-appearing mucosa adjacent to the lesions. Swabbing was also performed in age-sex-matched normal individuals. Five hundred exfoliated cells were screened for nuclear anomalies including micronuclei, karyorhexis, pycnosis, and chromatid clumping.ResultsThe severity score of OLP ranged from 2 to 4 with the average of 2. The frequency of MEC in OLP patients was 3.79% and 0.37% in the lesions and normal-appearing mucosa, respectively. In normal individuals, the frequency of MEC was also 0.37%. Using a paired t-test, it was found that the MEC frequency in the OLP lesions was significantly elevated (p < 0.01) as compared to that in normal-appearing mucosa adjacent to lesions and that in normal individuals. There were no statistically significant differences in the MEC frequency of the three severity scores as analyzed by Kruskal–Wallis one way analysis of variance on ranks (p > 0.05).ConclusionThis study revealed an increase in micronuclei in OLP lesions. The results indicate genotoxic damage in atrophic and erosive OLP.