Using the BITOLA system to identify candidate molecules in the interaction between oral lichen planus and depression

Exacerbations of oral lichen planus (OLP) have been linked to the periods of psychological stress, anxiety and depression. The specific mechanism of the interaction is unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the candidate genes or molecules that play important roles in the interaction between OLP and depression. The BITOLA system was used to search all intermediate concepts relevant to the “Gene or Gene Product” for OLP and depression, and the gene expression data and tissue-specific gene data along with manual checking were then employed to filter the intermediate concepts. Finally, two genes (NCAM1, neural cell adhesion molecule 1; CD4, CD4 molecule) passed the follow-up inspection. By using the text mining can formulate a new hypothesis: NCAM1 and CD4 were identified as involved or potentially involved in the interaction between OLP and depression. These results offer a new clue for the experimenters and hold promise for developing innovative therapeutic strategies for these two diseases.