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Cell-mediated immunity in lichen planus

In vitro Tests with Extracts from Lichen Planus Lesions

Archives of Dermatological Research volume 258, pages 1–7 (1977)Cite this article

Summary

Extracts were prepared from lichen planus lesions and from healthy epidermis of normal controls. Their effect on the migration and lymphocyte transformation of autologous leukocytes was studied. On the whole, the ranges of variation and mean values of the autologous leukocyte migration indices obtained in the presence of LP skin extract or sediment from 10 LP patients did not significantly differ from those recorded in the presence of similar extracts prepared from the epidermis of 12 normal controls. Two assays with LP skin sediment antigen and one assay with LP supernatant antigen, however, fell within the range of significant changes in migration.

Lymphocyte transformation, as indicated by increased thymidine uptake, was significantly stimulated by LP epidermis in 1 case of 5 LP patients. Extracts from normal epidermis did not affect the transformation of autologous lymphocytes. The phytohemagglutinin response of lymphocytes from LP patients was the same as that of normal controls. The results do not indicate that cell-mediated immunity toward epidermal antigens play any significant role in the etiopathogenesis of lichen planus.

Zusammenfassung

Der Effekt von Extrakten aus Lichen planus-Läsionen und von Epidermis gesunder Kontrollpersonen auf die Migration von autologen Leukocyten und Lymphocytenstimulation in vitro wurden untersucht. Im großen und ganzen fand sich kein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen den Mittelwerten und der Standarddeviation der Migrationsindices der autologen Leukocyten in Anwesenheit von Lichen planus-Hautextrakten von 10 Patienten und entsprechenden Extrakten von 12 gesunden Kontrollpersonen.

Die durch Thymidineinbau gemessene Lymphocytenstimulation war in einem von 5 Lichen planus-Patienten durch Lichen planus-Hautextrakte signifikant erhöht. Dagegen war eine Beeinflussung der Lymphocytenstimulation autologer Lymphocyten durch Extrakte von normaler Epidermis nicht zu beobachten. Die Phytohämagglutininstimulation von Lymphocyten von Lichen planus-Patienten entsprach der von Normalpersonen. Die Ergebnisse erbrachten keinen Hinweis darauf, daß zellvermittelte Immunreaktionen gegen epidermale Antigene eine signifikante Rolle in der Ätiopathogenese des Lichen planus spielen.

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Affiliations

  1. Departments of Dermatology, University of Turku, SF-20520, Turku 52, Finland

    Inkeri Helander

  2. Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, SF-20520, Turku 52, Finland

    Väinö K. Hopsu-Havu

Authors
  1. Inkeri Helander
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  2. Väinö K. Hopsu-Havu
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Helander, I., Hopsu-Havu, V.K. Cell-mediated immunity in lichen planus. Arch. Derm. Res. 258, 1–7 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582861

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582861

Keywords

  • Lichen Planus
  • Skin Extract
  • Thymidine Uptake
  • Lymphocyte Transformation
  • Migration Index