Correlation With Dysplasia Severity and Malignant Potential of CD45RO+ T Cell Density in OLP and OED.

Objective: This study investigates the role of CD45RO⁺ T cell densities in Oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral epithelial dysplasia with lichenoid features (OED), examining their distribution across different disease stages and their implications for disease progression and malignancy risk.

Methods: Histopathological evaluation of 71 tissue samples identified 56 cases of OLP and 15 cases of OED. Subsequent analyses focused on the immunohistochemical expression of CD45RO.

Results: CD45RO⁺ T-cell density showed a significant difference between OLP and OED (p = 0.024), with high-density expression notably prevalent in cases of severe dysplasia. A significant correlation was observed between CD45RO⁺ T-cell density and the histological grading of dysplasia (p = 0.015). Demographic analysis revealed that older patients exhibited higher CD45RO⁺ T cell densities (p < 0.001), though no significant correlation was found between age and the stages of OED (p = 0.93). High-density CD45RO⁺ T cells increased the odds of moderate to severe dysplasia (p = 0.01).

Conclusion: CD45RO⁺ T cells show stage-specific distribution in oral epithelial dysplasia, suggesting prognostic relevance and offering insight into disease-related immune changes. These findings suggest diagnostic and therapeutic potential. With further validation in larger cohorts, CD45RO⁺ monitoring may serve as a useful clinical tool for risk stratification and early intervention, particularly in high-grade OED.