Expression of osteopontin and other cytokines in saliva and serum in patients with oral lichen planus

Objective:To explore the relationship of saliva and serum concentration of osteopontin(OPN)and other proinflammatory cytokines in patients with oral lichen planus(OLP).Method:twenty-six patients with pathologically-confirmed OLP(erosive OLP,n=12;reticular OLP,n=14)were investigated.Saliva and serum levels of OPN,TNF-alpha and TGF-beta 1 were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Twenty-six healthy subjects were served as normal controls.Result:Both saliva and serum OPN,TNF-alpha levels were increased in oral lichen planus patients in comparison with healthy subjects(P 0.05).TGF-beta levels in erosive form were remarkedly increased than that in reticular form in both liquid(P 0.05).Positive statistical correlations existed between these cytokines in saliva and serum.Conclusion:Both saliva and serum OPN level were increased in patients with OLP.there was correlation between saliva and serum OPN level,indicating that saliva perhaps displace partly serum determination as uninjured method be used in clincal diagonsis of OLP.