Association between Epstein Barr virus and Oral Lichen Planus clinical phenotypes and p53 expression

To investigate the association between Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) in both of its clinical phenotypes (erosive and non-erosive), 33 OLP cases divided into erosive and non-erosive phenotypes, and 26 non-OLP cases were evaluated for the presence of EBV using In Situ Hybridization. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess expressions of CD3, CD20, CD138 and p53 in both OLP clinical phenotypes. EBV was detected in 11 (33%) of the OLP cases and none of the non-OLP cases (p = 0.002). CD3 and CD20 were both over-expressed in all OLP cases, however CD138 was significantly over-expressed in the erosive OLP phenotype by comparison to the non-erosive one (p = 0.003), suggesting a possible role of plasma cell in erosive OLP. There was no association between EBV and CD-138, nor with erosive OLP. Interestingly however, EBV had an association with p53 expression among OLP cases (p = 0.038), inferring a role of EBV in possible neoplastic changes in OLP. There appears to be a potential role of EBV in causing at least some OLP cases, regardless of whether OLP is erosive or not. EBV might have an etiological role in causing some OLP cases. This could explain why some OLP cases are recalcitrant to corticosteroids treatment. Clinical trials are needed to establish whether EBV-infected OLP cases respond to antiviral therapy.