Purpose: Cutaneous lichen planus (CLP) is an autoinflammatory skin disorder, and it is associated with metabolic syndrome. Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family member 5a (Wnt5a) is a potential factor in metabolic complications and it was shown to be upregulated in CLP lesions. Whether Wnt5a is altered in the circulation of patients with CLP is unclear. This study aimed to measure serum Wnt5a level in patients with CLP and to assess its relationship with body mass index (BMI).
Methods: We included 46 adult patients with CLP and 38 healthy adults as control. Serum Wnt5a was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: The mean serum Wnt5a was significantly higher in patients than controls (all P -value < 0.001). The mean serum Wnt5a levels in obese (BMI between 30 and 40) patients were significantly higher than lean (BMI between 20 and 25) patients (P -value < 0.001). Compared to lean patients with CLP, the concentration of serum Wnt5a levels was increased gradually with BMI score (all P -value < 0.05).
Conclusion: Serum Wnt5a might be a potential biomarker for CLP and it was associated with BMI. An increase in serum Wnt5a may contribute to the development of metabolic comorbidity in CLP patients.
Keywords: wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family member 5a, cutaneous lichen planus, metabolic comorbidity, obesity