Prevalence of stratified epithelium-specific antinuclear antibodies in 138 patients with lichen planus.

Background: Antibodies to stratified epithelia characterize chronic ulcerative stomatitis, an entity that very closely resembles erosive lichen planus both clinically and histologically. These antibodies are directed against a 70-kd antigen.

Objective: Our aim was to verify whether antibodies to stratified epithelia are present in patients with common lichen planus.