THE EPIDERMIS OF CHRONIC IDIOPATHIC LICHEN-PLANUS DURING TOPICAL TREATMENT WITH THE VITAMIN-D-3 ANALOG KH 1060

A parallel-group, double-blind, randomised study was performed to esta blish the effect of the vitamin D-3 analogue KH 1060, in an ointment v ersus vehicle only on the epidermal cell characteristics of chronic id iopathic lichen planus; KH 1060 also has marked immunosuppressive acti vity. A group of 10 patients were treated for 8 weeks with either KH 1 060 ointment or vehicle only. In addition to the assessment of clinica l scores, keratotome biopsies were taken before and after 8 weeks' tre atment. Epidermal cell suspensions were prepared with trypsin and the suspensions incubated with TO-PRO-3 (DNA marker), RKSE 60 (marker for keratin 10-positive cells) and antivimentin (marker for all non-kerati no-cytes). In nine of the 10 patients, keratotome biopsies were obtain ed both before and after 8 weeks treatment. The vehicle alone had no s ignificant effect on the clinical severity scores or epidermal cell ch aracteristics. In contrast, the KH 1060 ointment resulted in a statist ically significant reduction in the percentage of cells in S- and G(2) M phase and the percentage of vimentin-positive cells, but it did not affect the percentage of keratin 10-positive cells.