Ann Dermatol.  2015 Dec;27(6):738-743. 10.5021/ad.2015.27.6.738.

Tissue and Serum Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Korean Psoriasis Patients: A Comparison between Plaque and Guttate Psoriasis

• Roh NK
• Han SH
• Youn HJ
• Kim YR
• Lee YW
• Choe YB
• Ahn KJ

• KMID: 2157451
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2015.27.6.738

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The phenotypic heterogeneity of psoriasis could be explained by the alternate activation of either T-helper (Th)-1- or Th-17-related cytokines. However, evidence directly supporting this hypothesis is scarce.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the expression of Th-1- and Th-17-related cytokines according to the morphological psoriasis phenotype: guttate vs. plaque.
METHODS
In this study, we enrolled 68 patients exhibiting either guttate or plaque psoriasis, and 10 healthy controls. To avoid age-related bias, age matching was performed for each group. Circulating levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-1RA, IL-2, IL-12p40, IL-17A, IL-22, and IL-23 were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Psoriasis-affected tissue was obtained through biopsy sampling from the eight patients who exhibited the most typical morphology. Levels of IL-1RA, IL-12p40, IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 in the psoriasis tissue samples were measured with western blot analysis.
RESULTS
ELISAs of the serum samples showed higher levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1RA, IL-2, IL-23, and IFN-gamma in patients with psoriasis than in healthy controls. However, the inflammatory cytokine levels did not differ significantly between guttate and plaque psoriasis patients. Western blot analysis of psoriatic tissue revealed higher protein levels of Th-1- and Th-17-related cytokines in patients than in healthy controls. The levels of IL-12p40 and IL-23 were unexpectedly higher in plaque tissue than in guttate tissue.
CONCLUSION
The morphological phenotype of psoriasis does not appear to be determined by a specific activation of either the Th-1 or Th-17 pathway. Rather, the cytokine profile influences disease activity and is altered according to the status of the lesion (early or chronic).

Keyword

Cytokines; Phenotype; Psoriasis

MeSH Terms

Bias (Epidemiology)
Biopsy
Blotting, Western
Cytokines
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Interferons
Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
Interleukin-12 Subunit p40
Interleukin-17
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-23
Interleukins
Phenotype
Population Characteristics
Psoriasis*
Cytokines
Interferons
Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
Interleukin-12 Subunit p40
Interleukin-17
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-23
Interleukins

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Western blot results for T-helper (Th)-1- and Th-2-related cytokines in the lesions of psoriasis patients and healthy controls. Note that the protein levels of the interleukins (ILs) and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) are higher in both the plaque and guttate psoriasis groups than in the healthy controls.

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