الفهرس 
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Abstract
Lichen planus was first described in 1869 as a complex immune-mediated mucocutaneous disease characterized by outbursts. The disease has slight female predominance at a ratio of approximately 1.4:1, with a mean age in the fourth decade. Oral lesions are chronic and rarely undergo spontaneous remission unlike the self-limiting nature of cutaneous lesions. The World Health Organization had grouped oral lichen planus under the “potentially malignant disorders” of the oral mucosa as the malignant transformation rate ranges between 0.4% and 5.3% with more than 5 years of follow-up.
Oral lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease that affects about 1.9% to 4% of the population. It occurs more frequently in females, and the immunological system is believed to play a significant role in it. This autoimmune disorder is mediated by T cells that locally present in the involved tissue release cytokines like interleukin-6 (IL-6), which contributes to the pathogenesis of OLP.
Oral LP can be the sole clinical presentation of the disease or accompanied by cutaneous or other mucosal manifestations including the genital area, gastrointestinal tract, and eyes.
IL-6 has been associated with multidrug resistance protein expression by keratinocytes that up-regulate MRP expression seen in OLP lesions. Immunological other activities of IL-6 include B-cell differentiation and stimulation of immunoglobulin G secretion, T cell differentiation and growth, and cytotoxic T cell differentiation.
The levels of IL-6 increase in the serum of patients with malignant lesions. This interleukin inactivates the p53 tumor suppressor gene promotes tumor cell proliferation and increases the development and progression of some cancers such as oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Therefore, levels of IL-6 in the serum and saliva of OLP patients are considered as reliable indicators of therapeutic response on a molecular basis.
Numerous studies have identified that the IL-6 concentration in the serum of LP patients was higher than that in the healthy control subjects, particularly in the severe forms of LP. Furthermore, serum IL-6 concentrations were identified to be particularly valuable for monitoring disease activity and treatment response.
The aim of the present study is to evaluate interleukin-6 levels in the serum and saliva in patients of OLP compared with healthy controls, and hoping that it will help in the future treatments of OLP.
This case-control study was conducted on 20 unrelated patients with oral lichen planus, and 20 age and sex matched healthy volunteers, who have no present, past or family history of leprosy, as a control group. All studied subjects had been collected from the Dermatology clinic at Menoufia Teaching Hospital.
The main results of the study revealed that:
There was no significant difference between groups regarding age. The mean ± SD ages of patients and controls were (51.7 ± 19.6) years and (53.8 ± 18.3) years, respectively.
There was highly statistical significant difference between groups regarding to serum Interleukin-6 Levels. with higher level among cases(p value <0.001).
That there was highly statistical significant difference between groups regarding to serum Interleukin-6 Levels. With higher level among cases.
That of the 20 patients ulcerative OLP (40%) was the most common type of OLP followed by Reticular OLP (30%).
That of the 20 patients, with the most affected site being the left buccal mucosa (80%).
There was significant Positive correlation between the levels of serum IL-6 and OLP clinical type, P<0.05, among studied patients.
Finally we recommend for further studies on large geographical scale and on larger sample size.