engleski

Granulysin - mediated cytotoxicity is overexpressed in blood of patients with exanthematous lichen planus

Introduction: Lichen planus is a papulosquamous, inflammatory dermatosis, whose pathogenesis is primarily mediated by cytotoxic mechanisms. Activated cytotoxic cells, such as cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells, release pro- apoptotic proteins from previously synthesized cytotoxic granules, stored in their cytoplasms. Granulysin (GNLY) is a proinflammatory, pro-apoptotic molecule expressed in those granules. After leaving the granules, GNLY has possibility of provoking irreparable cell damage, finally causing target cell death. Heretofore, there are few reports regarding the role of granulysin in lichen planus and no previously published data of granulysin blood expression in patients with exanthematous lichen planus. Material/methods: We collected peripheral blood samples of patients with exanthematous lichen planus and from healthy controls (10 participants per group). GNLY expression was evaluated in the total lymphocyte population, by direct immunofluorescence staining followed by flow cytometry analyses. Results: The objective of our study was to investigate GNLY+ cells in blood lymphocyte population of lichen planus patients and healthy controls. Whereas we formerly performed an investigation of GNLY tissue expression and proved upregulation of GNLY+ cells in lesional papules of lichen planus, our present study revealed overexpressed levels of GNLY+ cells within peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with exanthematous lichen planus, primely within CD3+CD8+, CD3- CD56+ and CD3+CD56+ cells. The percentage of GNLY+ cells between the patient group and a group of healthy controls differed significantly (p<0, 05) . Conclusions: An indicative upregulation of GNLY-expressing peripheral blood lymphocytes, especially cytotoxic T cells, NK and NKT cells, has been observed in lichen planus patients in contrast to its level in healthy controls. This observation implicates a participation of GNLY in cytotoxic mechanisms of disease and possible involvement of this cytolytic molecule in lichen planus pathogenesis.

Lichen planus ; Granulysin ; peripheral blood lymphocytes

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