Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, biopsy tissue bio-specimens FFPE blocks, cryogenically preserved sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid samples from patients diagnosed with Lichen Planus disease.
The sera (serum), plasma and PBMC biofluid specimens are processed from lichen planus patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols. The lichen planus fresh frozen biopsy tissue and matched biofluid samples are collected from unique patients diagnosed with lichen planus disease and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery and drug development.
Detailed clinical data, lichen planus patients history, symptoms, complete blood count (CBC), serology, MRI, biopsy histopathology information, elevated biomarker levels, genetic and metabolic information associated with lichen planus specimens is provided to a valued customer for research, development and drug discovery.
The lichen planus sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid are processed from patients peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.
Lichen Planus Overview
Lichen planus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory Inflammatory skin disease affecting the skin and mucosal surfaces characterized by an itchy, non-infectious rash on the arms and legs. It consists of small, many-sided, flat-topped, pink or purple bumps. Lichen planus is a disease that can cause swelling and irritation in the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes. On the skin, lichen planus usually appears as purplish, itchy, flat bumps that develop over several weeks. In the mouth, vagina and other areas covered by a mucous membrane, lichen planus forms lacy white patches, sometimes with painful sores. There are several clinical types of lichen planus that share similar features on histopathology. Most patients can manage typical, mild cases of lichen planus at home, without medical care. If the condition causes pain or significant itching, prescription drugs may be required. Lichen planus is not a contagious disease.
Lichen planus is a skin rash triggered by the immune system. It is unknown why the immune response happens. There may be several contributing factors, and each case is different. Potential causes include:
- Viral infections
- Allergens
- Stress
- Genetics
Sometimes lichen planus occurs along with other autoimmune diseases. While it may be uncomfortable, in most cases lichen planus is not a serious condition. It’s also not contagious. However, there are some rare variations of the condition that may be serious and painful. These conditions can be treated with topical and oral medications to reduce symptoms, or by using immunosuppressive drugs that suppress the immune system.
According to the American Skin Association, lichen planus affects around one percent of the general population in the United States. It typically occurs in patients over the age of 30 years.
Signs and Symptoms of Lichen Planus
Signs and symptoms of lichen planus vary depending on the site affected by the disease. The first attack can continue for weeks, and even months, while recurrences can go on for years. Recurrence of the lichen planus condition are more common in oral lichen planus cases.
Following are the signs, symptoms and forms of lichen planus when appearing in certain areas.
Lichen Planus of the skin
- The rash appears abruptly and usually lasts for several months
- There are clumps or patterns of shiny, raised, red, pink, or purple, flat-topped bumps
- Papules are approximately 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter
- White streaks may sometimes appear on the papules, called Wickman’s Striae
- Intense itching may occur, especially at night
Most affected areas are the wrists, elbows, ankles, and lower back. However, other parts of the body may be affected. The shins can be affected by thickened lichen planus disease, while the armpits might have ring-shaped lichen planus.
Oral Lichen Planus
- White streaks appear on the inside of the cheeks. The gums, tongue, and lips may also be affected
- The streaks are not usually painful or itchy
- The white streaks do not go away
- Possible redness and blistering of the gums
- Sore mouth ulcers can develop and recur
- The individual’s sense of taste may become blunted, and some people experience a metallic taste
- The individual can have a dry mouth
- Spicy foods, crispy foods, and tomato products can make symptoms worse
Lichen Planus of the penis
- Purple or white ring-shaped patches appear around the head of the penis.
- They are not usually itchy
- Symptoms are similar to thrush, and often mistaken for it
Lichen Planus of the vagina and vulva
Usually white streaks develop on the vulva, similar to those that appear in the mouth in female patients with lichen planus. They are usually neither itchy nor painful, and the skin may be red. Lichen planus on the inner lips, or labia minora, and the entrance to the vagina may keep returning, and the affected mucous membrane is bright red and raw. The labia minora may also shrink and stick to each other or the outer lips, also known as the labia majora. The vagina may be red, scar tissue may distort the shape of the vagina. Lichen planus can affect deeper areas within the vagina, causing desquamative vaginitis. Discharge can occur when the surface cells in the vagina peel off, the eroded vagina may easily bleed when touched. In this condition sexual intercourse may become painful, difficult, or impossible.
Lichen Planus Follicaris
This affects areas in which hair grows, such as the scalp. There may be redness and irritation. This type of lichen planus sometimes causes hair loss, which can be permanent. In extremely rare cases, lichen planus can occur in the anus, ear canal, eyelids, and esophagus.
Causes of Lichen Planus
Exact cause of why lichen planus develops is unknown. Researchers believe it is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system mistakenly attacks patients own healthy tissues.
The following are known facts about lichen planus disease:
- Lichen planus is not a hereditary disease
- Lichen planus is not is not an infectious disease
- Lichen planus is not not a form of cancer
- Lichen planus is not linked to nutrition. However, spicy foods, citrus juices, acidic food or drinks and tomato products may aggravate symptoms if there are open sores in the mouth.
Some causes of lichen planus are thought to involve the following:
Medications: Lichen planus can occur as a reaction to certain medicines, including:
- Beta blockers, which are common drugs used to treat cardiovascular problems
- Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
- Gold injections (Myocrisin) for the treatment of arthritis
- Antimalarials
- Thiazide diuretics
- Phenothiazines, a group of tranquilizing drugs with antipsychotic actions
Other substances: There is a link between contact with some chemicals used in color photographic development and lichen planus.
Mercury tooth fillings: Some studies have found a link between lichen-planus-type changes in the mouth and an allergic reaction to mercury tooth fillings. Lichen planus can also be part of Grinspan’s syndrome, a syndrome characterized by hypertension, diabetes, and oral lichen planus.
Diagnosis of Lichen Planus
After examining the skin and identifying the characteristic rash, a doctor may be able to diagnose lichen planus based on its appearance. In some cases, a doctor may need to perform a punch biopsy, in which a circular tool extracts a small sample of the skin’s deeper layers. Often, stitches are required to close the wound. The sample is examined under a microscope to confirm a diagnosis of lichen planus. If the doctor is still unsure, the patient may be referred to a dermatologist, or skin specialist. For a patient with oral lichen planus, a dentist or oral specialist will usually reach a diagnosis by taking a biopsy.
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens and human bio-fluid collections from cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma cancer PBMC and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.
Bay Biosciences maintains and manages it’s own bio-repository, human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types. Our biobank procures and stores fully consented, deidentified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.
All our human human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed samples associated patient’s clinical data. This critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers and genetic information. Patient’s data is extremely valuable for researchers and is used to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, other therapeutic areas and diseases. This clinical information is critical to demonstrate their impact, monitor the safety of medicines, testing & diagnostics, and generate new knowledge about the causes of disease and illness.
Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples including cryogenically preserved -80°C, fresh, fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, FFPE’s, tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC’s.
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the researchers specified requirements and customized, tailor made collection protocols. Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.
Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors; including peripheral whole-blood, amniotic fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL), sputum, pleural effusion, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum (sera), plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’s), saliva, Buffy coat, urine, stool samples, aqueous humor, vitreous humor, kidney stones, renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, urolithiasis and other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer. We can also procure most human bio-specimens and can do special collections and requests of human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB approved clinical protocols and procedures.
In addition to the standard processing protocols Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols, you can buy donor specific sample collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquoting from us. Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors, volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.
日本のお客様は、ベイバイオサイエンスジャパンBay Biosciences Japanまたはhttp://baybiosciences-jp.com/contact/までご連絡ください。