Diagnostic potential of salivary inflammatory markers in oral lichen planus

Summaries 1 min 222

Font Size

Created On: 10/06/2026

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder impacting the oral mucosa and is categorized among oral potentially malignant disorders.

See All

Key take away

Oral lichen planus exhibits predominantly localized oral inflammation, with salivary IL-1β emerging as a promising non-invasive biomarker for disease detection and monitoring.

Background

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder impacting the oral mucosa and is categorized among oral potentially malignant disorders. Although topical therapies effectively reduce oral inflammation, the relationship between local inflammatory activity and systemic immune responses remains unclear. This study investigated local and systemic inflammatory mediators and assessed the link of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 with OLP.

Method

A cross-sectional hospital-based case–control study was conducted involving 50 participants, including 31 patients diagnosed with OLP and 19 healthy controls. Blood samples were analyzed for HLA-B27 status. Salivary and serum concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), matrix metalloprotease-8 (MMP-8), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) were measured and compared between groups.

Result

Patients with OLP illustrated markedly higher salivary IL-1β levels compared with controls (p = 0.001). Serum MMP-8 concentrations were lower in the OLP group. Serum PGE2 levels were elevated in OLP patients, although the difference achieved only marginal statistical significance after correction. Analysis of HLA-B27 allele frequency illustrated no differences between OLP patients, controls, and the reference Polish population (p = 0.1404).

Conclusion

Inflammatory activity in OLP is primarily localized within the oral cavity rather than reflecting a systemic inflammatory process. Increased salivary IL-1β and decreased serum MMP-8 support the presence of local immune dysregulation, while salivary IL-1β shows potential as a convenient non-invasive biomarker for diagnosis and disease monitoring.