Abstract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in keratinocytes play an important role in dermatological autoimmune diseases. Tumour suppressor protein p53 regulates TLR expression. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of TLR1-TLR10, p53 and NF-κB in patients with oral lichenoid disease (OLD) with healthy mucosa. Oral mucosal biopsies from 24 patients with OLD and 26 healthy controls (HC) were analysed for the expression of TLR1-TLR10, NF-κB and p53 by immunohistochemistry. The expression of all TLRs was increased in OLD epithelia compared to HC samples and the difference was significant in TLR1, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6 and TLR7. In the basement membrane zone, the immunoreactivity of TLR5 was significantly more intense in OLD compared to HC. In the intermediate layer, the immunoreactivity of NF-κB was significantly stronger in OLD, whereas the staining for p53 was more intense in all layers of OLD compared to HC samples. In OLD, a positive correlation between TLR2 and NF-κB in the basal layer and between TLR5, p53 and NF-κB in the intermediate layers was discovered. The expression of TLRs, p53 and NF-κB is increased in OLD, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of this chronic immune-mediated mucosal disease.