Notable Differences in Clinical Features and Inflammatory Gene Expression Between Genital Lichen Sclerosus and Lichen Planus

TL;DR

This study compares genital lichen sclerosus and lichen planus, finding differences in age, gender, comorbidities, and inflammatory gene expression patterns.

Contribution

The study identifies distinct inflammatory gene profiles and clinical features between genital lichen sclerosus and lichen planus.

Findings

LS patients were older, predominantly female, and more likely to have metabolic syndrome compared to Lpg patients.

LS showed upregulated CCL27 and MARCO, while Lpg exhibited IL-1 pathway activation and B-cell markers.

The findings reveal distinct immunological profiles that could guide targeted therapies for each condition.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Genital lichen sclerosus (LS) and lichen planus genitalis (Lpg) are chronic inflammatory dermatoses with overlapping clinical features but incompletely understood pathogenesis. Current therapies are largely symptomatic. Methods: To clarify underlying mechanisms and identify therapeutic targets, we retrospectively analyzed 174 patients (142 LS and 32 Lpg). Clinical features and comorbidities were compared, and gene expression profiling of 730 inflammation-related genes was performed on lesional tissue from LS and Lpg patients and healthy controls using NanoString technology. Selected findings were validated by immunohistochemistry. Results: LS patients were older and predominantly female and more frequently had metabolic syndrome. On the molecular level, LS showed a generally lower inflammatory gene expression profile than Lpg. Nevertheless, LS was characterized by strong upregulation of CCL27 and MARCO, whereas Lpg displayed enhanced IL-1 pathway activation and increased expression of B-cell–associated markers. Conclusions: These results demonstrate distinct immunological differences between the two conditions and provide further insight into disease-specific pathways.

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