hTR RNA Component as a Marker of Cellular Proliferation in Oral Lichen Planus

Previously, we have shown that the telomerase RNA component hTR is highly expressed in the epithelium ofnon-dysplastic Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) lesions (11). We concluded that it is possible that this high expressionmight be related to the increased cellular proliferation seen in OLP rather than being an indicator of potentialmalignant transformation. In the present study, and in order to confirm our finding in the previous study thathTR might be a marker for cellular proliferation in OLP, we analysed OLP biopsies known to be positive forRNA component of Telomerase (hTR) for the expression of Ki-67 as a marker for cellular proliferation. FourteenOLP tissue biopsies known to be positive for telomerase RNA component hTR, were investigated using animmunohistochemical approach to determine the rate of cellular proliferation in OLP, looking at the expressionof Ki-67 protein as a marker for cellular proliferation. A statistically significant increase was found between Ki-67 expression in OLP in comparison to normal control buccal mucosa samples. The expression of hTR componentin OLP might thus be a marker for cellular proliferation.