A novel application of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay in oral lichen planus: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The most important complication of oral lichen planus is malignancy transformation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess cellular and nuclear morphology in a group of patients with oral lichen planus measured by means of buccal micronucleus cytome assay.

STUDY DESIGN: This study included thirty patients with a clinicopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus (all with atrophic-erosive clinical forms of OLP) and thirty healthy control subjects. Both samples were similar in age and gender. The buccal micronucleus cytome assay protocol consisted of: cell collection from both cheeks with a cytobrush; cell centrifuge; slide preparation, fixation and staining followed by fluorescent microscope analysis. 2 × 10(6) exfoliated cells were screened for nuclear abnormalities: micronuclei, nuclear buds, binucleation, basal and differentiated cells, condensed chromatin, karyorrhectic cells, pyknosis and karyolytic cells.

RESULTS: Patients with oral lichen planus showed significantly higher frequencies of micronuclei (p<0.001), nuclear buds (p<0.001), binucleated cells (p<0.021) than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: This method is an easy way for clinicians to assess DNA damage, proliferative potential of basal cells and cell death in buccal cells in cases of oral lichen planus.