High-resolution DNA content analysis of microbiopsy samples in oral lichen planus

Abstract

Objectives

DNA aneuploidy has been reported to be a predictor of poor prognosis in both premalignant and malignant lesions. In oral lichen planus (OLP) this hypothesis remains to be proved. This study aims to determine the rate of occurrence of DNA aneuploidy in OLP patients by high-resolution DNA flow cytometry.

Methods

OLP patients were consecutively enrolled. Tissue samples were subdivided for formalin fixation and routine histological assessment and for immediate storage at −20°C for later DNA ploidy analysis, which was performed by DAPI staining of the extracted nuclei and excitation with a UV lamp. The DNA aneuploid sublines were characterized by the DNA Index.

Results

A DNA aneuploid status was observed in 2 out of 77 OLP patients (2.6%). When considering the clinical aspect of the OLP lesions, both DNA aneuploid cases had a reticular clinical aspect.

Conclusions

DNA aneuploidy is an uncommon event in OLP and less frequent compared to other non-dysplastic and non-OLP oral potentially malignant disorders. The extremely low rate of DNA aneuploidy could represent an occasional finding or reflect the low rate of malignant transformation observed in OLP patients even if the real prognostic value of DNA ploidy analysis in OLP patients remains to be confirmed.

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