DIFFERENCES IN EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX PROTEINS, EPIDERMAL GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION IN DISCOID LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS, LICHEN-PLANUS AND THE OVERLAP SYNDROME

Lichen planus (LP) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) are separate disease entities. Nevertheless, patients with a so-called ''overlap sy ndrome'' have been described occasionally. The aim of the present stud y was to establish whether the LE/LP overlap syndrome, based on clinic al and routine histological features, could be delineated from DLE or LP using immunohistochemical techniques. Formalin-fixated, paraffin-em bedded skin biopsies of patients,vith DLE, LP and the overlap syndrome were compared regarding immunohistochemical markers for epidermal gro wth and differentiation and extracellular matrix components. With the markers for extracellular matrix proteins, it was possible to delineat e the overlap syndrome from LP. This was not possible for the overlap syndrome and DLE. These findings might indicate that the LE/LP overlap syndrome could be considered as LP-like DLE rather than as a distinct disease Entity.