Expression and clinical significance of periostin in oral lichen planus

A Decadal Bibliometric Analysis on the Therapeutic Strategies in Oral Lichen Planus

Background and Aims

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is a common chronic inflammatory autoimmune illness that mostly affects the oral mucosa but may also affect other mucous membrane. It has higher prevalence in female patients of fourth to sixth decade of life with reticular being the commonest clinical variant. Clinical assessment, patient history, biopsy findings, and immunofluorescence were used to diagnose OLP. This study aimed to assess research publication trends in therapeutic strategies in the treatment of OLP, examining publication growth, country and institution contributions, and collaborative networks.

Methods

Using the Dimensions and Lens.org databases with Boolean operators combined the keywords a total of 40,046 peer-reviewed international publications were initially assessed. The article was selected from 2014 to December 2023. Through rigorous application of inclusion and exclusion criteria using an advanced search, a subset of 134 papers emerged to meet the high relevance standards. This subset, constituting a representative sample, was selected for in-depth bibliometric analysis.

Results and Conclusion

The result shows a clear upward trend in the number of publications, with a notable increase in 2018. After 2018, there is decrease in the number of publications, but it has an upward trend, reaching a peak of 215 in 2022. Chaitanya Nallan CSK leads the list of authors with four publications and a respectable total citation count of 12. Cairo University is the leading institution in this data set, with the 8 number of publications and 11 citations. The analysis revealed that at the top of the list is the "Egyptian Dental Journal" from Egypt, with six publications, four citations, and a link strength of two. In the second position is "BMC Oral Health" from the United Kingdom, with five publications, one citation, and a link strength of three. This study offers valuable insights for future research, clinical practice, and policy decisions.

Correlations between schizophrenia and lichen planus: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

Background

Several existing studies have shown a correlation between schizophrenia and lichen planus (LP). However, the causality of this relationship remains uncertain. Thus, this study aimed to examine the causal association between schizophrenia and LP.

Methods

A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was carried out to investigate whether schizophrenia is causally related to LP and vice versa, and genetic variants in this study were taken from previous genome-wide association studies. We used the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method as the main analysis. Furthermore, several sensitivity analyses were performed to assess heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, and stability.

Results

Our results show that schizophrenia has a protective effect on LP (OR = 0.881, 95%CI = 0.795-0.975, p = 0.015). Conversely, we observed no significant relationship between LP and schizophrenia in reverse MR analysis (OR = 0.934, 95%CI = 0.851-1.026, p = 0.156).

Conclusion

Our two-sample Mendelian randomization study supports a significant causal relationship between LP and schizophrenia and finds that schizophrenia can reduce the incidence of LP. This is in contrast to previous findings and provides new insights into the relationship between LP and schizophrenia, but the exact mechanism needs further investigation.

Periostin and TNF-α expression levels in peripheral blood of patients with acute cerebral infarction combined with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and their predictive value for clinical prognosis

OBJECTIVE

To detect the expression levels of periostin and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) combined with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and to investigate their predictive value for clinical prognosis.

METHODS

In this case‒control study, serum periostin and TNF-α levels were measured using ELISA, and patients were scored on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) were generated to analyse the effect of peripheral blood periostin and TNF-α levels on poor prognosis.

RESULTS

NIHSS score, mRS score and peripheral blood periostin and TNF-α levels were higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.001); serum periostin and TNF-α levels were positively correlated with the NIHSS score and mRS score (P < 0.001). Serum periostin and TNF-α levels were higher in patients with a poor prognosis than in those with a favourable prognosis (P < 0.001); the area under curve (AUC) values for the diagnosis of poor prognosis based on TNF-α, periostin or both factors were 0.868 (95% CI: 0.781-0.954), 0.834 (95% CI: 0.734-0.934), and 0.875 (95% CI: 0.792 ~ 0.958), with sensitivities of 0.654, 0.846, and 0.654 and specificities of 0.944, 0.750, and 0.917, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ACI combined with OSAS have elevated peripheral blood periostin and TNF-α levels, and the combination of these two factors has high predictive value for poor prognosis.

Expression of Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin in Immune-Related Dermatoses

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), long known to be involved in Th2 response, is also implicated in multiple inflammatory dermatoses and cancers. The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of the expression of TSLP in the skin of those dermatoses. Lesional specimens of representative immune-related dermatoses, including lichen planus (LP), discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), eczema, bullous pemphigoid (BP), psoriasis vulgaris (PsV), sarcoidosis, and mycosis fungoides (MF), were retrospectively collected and analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Morphologically, TSLP was extensively expressed in the epidermis of each dermatosis, but the expression was weak in specimens of DLE. In a semiquantitative analysis, TSLP was significantly expressed in the epidermis in LP, BP, eczema, PsV, sarcoidosis, and MF. TSLP expression was higher in the stratum spinosum in LP, eczema, BP, PsV, and MF and higher in the stratum basale in sarcoidosis and PsV. Moreover, we found positive TSLP staining in the dermal infiltrating inflammatory cells of BP, PsV, and sarcoidosis. Our observation of TSLP in different inflammatory dermatoses might provide a novel understanding of TSLP in the mechanism of diseases with distinctly different immune response patterns and suggest a potential novel therapeutic target of those diseases.

Pathological Roles and Clinical Usefulness of Periostin in Type 2 Inflammation and Pulmonary Fibrosis

Periostin is known to be a useful biomarker for various diseases. In this article, we focus on allergic diseases and pulmonary fibrosis, for which we and others are now developing detection systems for periostin as a biomarker. Biomarker-based precision medicine in the management of type 2 inflammation and fibrotic diseases since heterogeneity is of utmost importance. Periostin expression is induced by type 2 cytokines (interleukin-4/-13) or transforming growth factor-β, and plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation or interstitial lung disease, respectively, andits serum levels are correlated disease severity, prognosis and responsiveness to the treatment. We first summarise the importance of type 2 biomarker and then describe the pathological role of periostin in the development and progression of type 2 allergic inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, then, we summarise the recent development of assay methods for periostin detection, and analyse the diseases in which periostin concentration is elevated in serum and local biological fluids and its usefulness as a biomarker. Furthermore, we describe recent findings of periostin as a biomarker in the use of biologics or anti-fibrotic therapy. Finally, we describe the factors that influence the change in periostin concentration under the healthy conditions.

Functions of Matricellular Proteins in Dental Tissues and Their Emerging Roles in Orofacial Tissue Development, Maintenance, and Disease

Matricellular proteins (MCPs) are defined as extracellular matrix (ECM) associated proteins that are important regulators and integrators of microenvironmental signals, contributing to the dynamic nature of ECM signalling. There is a growing understanding of the role of matricellular proteins in cellular processes governing tissue development as well as in disease pathogenesis. In this review, the expression and functions of different MP family members (periostin, CCNs, TSPs, SIBLINGs and others) are presented, specifically in relation to craniofacial development and the maintenance of orofacial tissues, including bone, gingiva, oral mucosa, palate and the dental pulp. As will be discussed, each MP family member has been shown to have non-redundant roles in development, tissue homeostasis, wound healing, pathology and tumorigenesis of orofacial and dental tissues.

Periostin and Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin-Potential Crosstalk in Obstructive Airway Diseases

Periostin and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) are newly described markers of obstructive airway diseases and the mechanism by which both markers participate in immune response remains poorly understood. The aim of our study was to determine periostin and TSLP concentration in serum and induced sputum (IS) in patients with atopic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and controls, as well as to evaluate the potential link between periostin, TSLP, and Th2 immune response. Serum and IS levels of periostin, TSLP, IL-4, and IL-13 were determined in 12 atopic asthmatics, 16 COPD sufferers, and 10 controls. We noticed a significantly higher IS periostin and TSLP concentration at protein and mRNA level in asthmatics compared to the two other groups; additionally, periostin and TSLP were correlated positively with IS eosinophil count. A strong positive correlation between IS periostin and TSLP protein levels (r = 0.96) as well as mRNA expression level (r = 0.95) was found in patients with asthma. The results of our study show that periostin and TSLP are associated with eosinophilic airway inflammation and seem to be important drivers of atopic asthma but not COPD pathobiology. Very strong correlations between local periostin, TSLP, eosinophils, and IL-4 in asthma point to the link between periostin-TSLP and Th2 response.

Role of interleukin-4 in pathogenesis of oral lichen planus: A systematic review

Background

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a premalignant mucocutaneous disease that affects 1-2% of the adult population. Immunological factor may act as etiological factor. The cellular immune cells such as T cells are important in pathogenesis of OLP. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is secreted by T-helper 2 (Th2). Several studies have been carried out on the role of IL-4 in OLP. The aim of this study was to review the level of IL-4 in OLP, effective factors in the production of IL-4 and its role in the development of OLP.

Material and Methods

A search in PubMed was performed on the literature published from 2000 until august 2019 using the following keywords: “oral lichen planus” or “OLP” and “interleukin-4” or “IL-4”.

Results

Originally, 37 articles were considered, of which 28 case-control articles were selected according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Conclusions

This review study shows that IL-4 plays a key role in the development of OLP. According to the past studies, there are several factors contributing to the production of this cytokine. Identification of the routes of production of IL-4 and its role in OLP might be useful for development of new preventive and therapeutic methods in management of patients with OLP.

Key words:Interleukin 4, oral lichen planus, pathogenesis.

[Rat model with oral submucous fibrosis induced by arecoline and mechanical stimulation]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to induce oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rat models by arecoline and mechanical stimulation.

METHODS

Two factors factorial design was used to divide 48 rats into 8 groups (n=6). Different concentrations of arecoline (0, 0.5, 2, and 8 mg·mL⁻¹) and mechanical stimulation (with or without brush) were treated. After 16 weeks of treatment, the mouth opening was measured, the pathological changes of the buccal mucosa were observed, and the expressions of type Ⅲ collagen, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were detected.

RESULTS

In rats with moderate and high concentrations of arecoline, typical OSF pathological features were observed in the buccal mucosa, the mouth openings were significantly reduced, and the expression levels of type Ⅲ colla-gen and TGF-β1 were significantly increased (P<0.05). Although mechanical stimulation can increase the three indexes of mucosa (P<0.05), no pathological change and difference in the mouth opening was observed (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate and high concentrations of arecoline can induce OSF in SD rats, but mechanical stimulation cannot induce OSF.