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Not yet recruitingNCT06652477Updated Oct 22, 2024

Evaluation of Desmoglein-3 Autoantibodies in the Tissues of Oral Lichen Planus and Correlation with Disease Severity

An observational study in Lichen Planus, Oral, sponsored by Ain Shams University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-10-22.

Sponsored by Ain Shams University · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Dec 2024, 1 year 10 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
20
Ages
40 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

  1. evaluate the level of Dsg3 autoantibodies in tissue biopsy of Atrophic/Bullous Erosive (A/BE) OLP (Primary Objective).
  2. correlate the severity of the disease with the level of tissue Dsg3 autoantibodies (Secondary Objective).
Read the detailed description

Oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic disease and one of the most common dermatoses of the oral mucosa, is characterized by white streaks in a lacelike pattern on the tongue and/or buccal mucosa. The disease is also accompanied by chronic inflammation, the degree of which, correlates with the intensity of the symptoms.

OLP occurs more frequently than the cutaneous form and tends to be more persistent and more resistant to treatment. It affects one to two percent of the general adult population, with a higher prevalence in the female gender, and occurs predominantly in adults over 40, although younger adults and children may be affected .

The most common site of oral involvement is the buccal mucosa followed by the tongue and gingiva, but any site of the oral mucosa can be affected. Clinically, OLP is classified as reticular, atrophic, erosive, plaque-type, and bullous. The reticular pattern is the most common form. It is generally asymptomatic and requires no treatment. In contrast, atrophic-erosive forms usually manifest as erythematous, ulcerative lesions associated with symptoms, fluctuating from mild burning sensation to severe pain, interfering with eating and speaking .

Furthermore, OLP is considered a potentially malignant disorder with a transformation rate of about 1.09%, with greater risk among those with atrophic-erosive forms.

The etiology and pathogenesis of OLP are not completely understood. Several factors have been implicated in the etiology and several hypotheses have been proposed for its pathogenesis.

It is believed that OLP represents an abnormal immune reaction in which keratinocytes are recognized as an antigen, secondary to changes in the antigenicity of the cell surface. This elicits an immune response characterized by invasion of inflammatory cells into the subepithelial layer of connective tissue with degeneration of the epithelium of the basement membrane However, the antigen or antigens triggering factors have not been identified.

Many controversies exist about the pathogenesis of OLP. A large body of evidence supports the role of immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis. The various mechanisms hypothesized to be involved in immunopathogenesis include humoral immunity, antigen-specific cell-mediated immune response, non-specific mechanisms, and autoimmune response.

Humoral immunity has been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of OLP in addition to the presence of immunoglobulins, fibrinogen, and C3 complement in the basement membrane at the lesional and perilesional tissue Furthermore, concentrations of salivary IgG and IgA subclasses may be changed .

Antigen-specific mechanisms in OLP include antigen presentation by basal keratinocytes, followed by antigen-specific keratinocyte killing by CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells.

Non-specific mechanisms include mast cell degranulation and matrix metalloproteinase activation in OLP lesions. These mechanisms may combine to cause T-cell accumulation in the superficial lamina propria, basement membrane disruption, intra-epithelial T-cell migration, and keratinocyte apoptosis .

The possibility of the presence of circulating antibodies was previously indicated against desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) in patients with OLP.

Desmogleins (Dsgs) are the main components of cellular coherence in the epidermis and mucosal surfaces. They are consisting of (Dsg1), (Dsg2), (Dsg3), and (Dsg4). Dsg3 antigen is expressed in the basement membrane zone of the epidermis keeping the cells from detachment.

Dsgs are the victims of autoantibody reaction in some autoimmune bullous diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid causing disruption of desmosomes and consequent acantholysis.

In 2006, Lukac et al. demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of circulating autoantibodies against Dsg3 among erosive OLP patients and in patients with reticular OLP .

In a recent study including 100 OLP patients, 65% of the patients showed the presence of at least one type of autoantibodies in their serum. Dsg3 autoantibody was positive in 16% of the patients .

Furthermore, Saad et al, in 2018, showed increased levels of Dsg3 autoantibodies in the serum of patients with erosive OLP at baseline and after the use of topical Tacrolimus 0.1%. The results revealed a statistically significant decrease in the level of Dsg3 autoantibodies during the follow-up period.

In 2022, El-Rifaie et al detected that the level of Dsg3 autoantibodies in the serum of OLP patients was significantly higher as compared to normal control persons.

However, it is difficult to infer whether the anti-Dsg3 autoantibodies in lichen planus are of primary pathogenic significance or are a result of epitope spreading which is known to occur in autoimmune diseases. These autoantibodies may be increased as an etiologic agent in OLP or due to inflammatory damage to basal keratinocytes. This damage releases the Dsg3 proteins which act as auto-antigens for autoantibodies formation in the circulatory blood .

All the studies were concerned with detecting Dsg3 autoantibodies level in the serum of OLP patients. Unfortunately, such results do not prove the source of Dsg3 autoantibodies to be the OLP lesions. Thus, the present study will be carried out to detect the level of Dsg3 autoantibodies in tissues affected by atrophic/bullous erosive OLP trying to elucidate the actual role of Dsg3 autoantibodies in the etiopathogenesis of OLP.

02

Conditions studied

  • Lichen Planus, Oral

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03

In context

Lichen Planus, Oral

143 studies on the registry are indexed under Lichen Planus, Oral; 25 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 75 across 38 observational studies indexed under Lichen Planus, Oral.

Browse Lichen Planus, Oral studies →

Lead sponsor

Ain Shams University is the lead sponsor of 1,930 studies on the registry; 433 are open to participants now.

Of its 33 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
40 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

The study is designed to be a case-control study with a convenience sample size of (20) Participants, will be recruited from the Out-patient Clinic of Oral Medicine, Periodontology and Oral Diagnosis Department, Faculty of Dentistry Ain-Shams University or referred to it.

The participants who will meet the eligibility criteria will be enrolled into one of the following groups • Group A: (10) participants suffering from oral lichen planus (atrophic bullous erosive pattern).

  • Group B: (10) healthy control participants. Tissue samples from the control group will be obtained from excess tissue from periodontal surgeries, mainly crown lengthening surgeries and implant placement surgeries (avoiding any periodontally affected teeth)

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • 1. Males or females suffering from A/BE OLP. 2. Proven diagnosis of oral lichen planus based on criteria of WHO (World Health Organization) which is a clinical criteria, clinically proven painful A/BE form of OLP confirmed by the presence of red or erythematous changes, or shallow ulcerations with fine lacy lines at the periphery of the lesion accentuated by stretching and not eliminated by rubbing (Wickham's striae).

Histopathologically, proven Bullous/erosive or reticular forms of OLP confirmed by the presence of accepted histopathological criteria for lichen planus; basal cell liquefaction, band-like lymphocytic infiltrate at the epithelial-stromal junction with degeneration of basal cell region.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • 1. History of drug-induced lichenoid lesions. 2. Presence of systemic conditions such as serious active or recurrent infections, malignancy, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or significant heart, liver, or renal diseases.

    3. Pregnancy or breastfeeding. 4. History of previous treatments potentially effective on OLP such as antimalarial agents, retinoids, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs from less than 2 weeks for topical medications, and 4 weeks for systemic medications prior to starting the study.

    5. Loss of pliability or flexibility in the tissues involved by the oral lesions of lichen planus.

    6. Histological signs of epithelial dysplasia or lichenoid lesions within the biopsied sites.

    7. Patient refuses to participate in the study. 8. Vulnerable groups (handicapped, orphans, and prisoners).

05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • groupe A

    patients with atrophic boullos erosive oral lichen planus

    Diagnostic Test: ELISA

  • groupe B

    healthy patients

    Diagnostic Test: ELISA

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testELISA

    ElISA kit to detect autoantibodies against desmoglein 3 in tissues of oral lichen planus lesions

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. evaluate the level of Dsg3 autoantibodies in tissue biopsy of Atrophic/Bullous Erosive oral lichen planus

    valuate the level of Dsg3 autoantibodies by ELISA kit trying to elucidate the actual role of Dsg3 autoantibodies in the etiopathogenesis of OLP.

    Time frame: baseline

Secondary outcomes

  1. correlate the severity of the disease with the level of tissue Dsg3 autoantibodies

    we will evaluate the disease severity by Clinical scoring system and correlate it with the level of autoantibodies

    Time frame: baseline

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Roopashree MR, Gondhalekar RV, Shashikanth MC, George J, Thippeswamy SH, Shukla A. Pathogenesis of oral lichen planus--a review. J Oral Pathol Med. 2010 Nov;39(10):729-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2010.00946.x. Epub 2010 Oct 4. PubMed 20923445 ↗
  • Vahide L, Zahra H, Forugh G, Nazi S. Autoantibodies to desmogleins 1 and 3 in patients with lichen planus. Arch Dermatol Res. 2017 Sep;309(7):579-583. doi: 10.1007/s00403-017-1756-x. Epub 2017 Jul 3. PubMed 28674915 ↗
  • Lukac J, Brozovic S, Vucicevic-Boras V, Mravak-Stipetic M, Malenica B, Kusic Z. Serum autoantibodies to desmogleins 1 and 3 in patients with oral lichen planus. Croat Med J. 2006 Feb;47(1):53-8. PubMed 16489697 ↗
  • Abdelwadood D, Fouad YA, El-Khazragy N, Amr AEH. Desmoglein-3 autoantibodies in tissues of oral lichen planus patients and its correlation with disease severity: case-control study. BMC Oral Health. 2025 Jun 6;25(1):930. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-06303-9. PubMed 40481453 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 22, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06652477
Responsible party
Doaa abdelwadood mohamed ibrahim essa (Master's degree student, Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University., Ain Shams University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 22, 2024
Start date
Nov 5, 2024 (estimated)
Primary completion
Dec 5, 2024 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 5, 2024 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 22, 2024

Study contacts

Doaa Abd Elwadood Mohamed, master's degree student
Contact
Dr.doaa55@gmail.com
01118066148
doaa abdElwadood Mohamed
Contact
doaaabdelwadood55@gmail.com
01119220036
Ahmed Amr
principal investigator · ain shamsh university
yasmeen foaad
study director · ain shamsh university

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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