Double‐labeled immunofluorescence study of cutaneous nerves in psoriasis

International Journal of Dermatology - Tập 37 Số 8 - Trang 572-574 - 1998
Wen‐Yue Jiang1, S. P. Raychaudhuri1, Eugene M. Farber1
1From the Psoriasis Research Institute, Palo Alto, California

Tóm tắt

Abstract Background and objective In recent years, many reports have suggested an active role of neuropeptides in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Increased numbers of neuropeptide‐containing nerves positive for substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and calcium gene‐related peptide (CGRP) have been reported in psoriatic tissue. As psoriatic epidermis has a larger mass/volume, however, it is expected to have more nerves and a higher number of neuropeptergic fibers. Therefore, instead of demonstrating a larger number of neuropeptergic fibers, a more significant study is to investigate whether the neuropeptergic fibers are denser in psoriatic tissue. In this study, we applied a double labeled immunofluorescence technique. This method allows the identification of the total number of nerve fibers and the number of nerves positive for specific neuropeptides. Materials and methods We obtained biopsies from nine lesional and seven non‐lesional psoriatic skins and six normal controls. Biopsies were snap frozen and then cut into 14 μm cryosections. The tissues were first treated with anti‐microtubule associated protein (MAP)2 antibody to stain the nerves. This was followed by a second set of stainings for SP, VIP, and CGRP. Primary antibodies were used in dilutions of 1 : 200 for anti‐MAP2, 1 : 200 for anti‐SP, 1 : 800 for anti‐VIP, and 1 : 400 for anti‐CGRP. Results We found that the percentage of SP‐positive fibers was twofold greater and the percentage of CGRP‐positive fibers was 2.5 times greater in the psoriatic epidermis than in the epidermis of normal skin. Psoriatic epidermis had 30.1 ± 3.9% SP‐positive nerve fibers compared with 15.7 ± 3.7% in the normal control. The corresponding values for CGRP‐positive nerve fibers were 30.1 ± 3.9% and 12.0 ± 4.2%. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that SP‐ and CGRP‐containing neuropeptide nerve fibers are more dense in the psoriatic epidermis. Both SP and CGRP are chemotactic to neutrophils and mitogenic to keratinocytes and endothelial cells. In addition, SP activates T lymphocytes and induces adhesion molecules on the endothelial cells. Our observations suggest that neuropeptides may play a significant role in the inflammatory and proliferative process of psoriasis.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

10.1016/S0190-9622(86)70034-0

10.1016/0165-5728(92)90156-F

Wilkinson DI., 1989, Mitogenic effect of substance P and CGRP on keratinocytes., J Cell Biol., 107, 509a

10.1159/000234752

10.1159/000234197

10.4049/jimmunol.151.6.3274

10.1111/1523-1747.ep12326689

Farber EM, 1996, Increased nerve growth factor (NGF‐R) in papillary dermis of lesional psoriatic skin: further evidence for role of the sensory nervous systems in the pathogenesis of psoriasis., Br J Dermatol., 135, 841

10.1038/337362a0

10.1016/S0190-9622(08)81760-4

10.1111/1523-1747.ep13071340

Al’Abadie Msk, 1992, Neurogenic changes in psoriasis: an immunohistochemical study., J Invest Dermatol., 98, 535

10.1007/BF00371834

10.1111/j.1365-4362.1990.tb03825.x

10.1111/1523-1747.ep12499846

10.1111/1523-1747.ep12469898

10.1111/1523-1747.ep12874665

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

International Journal of Dermatology

Tập 37 Số 8

572-574

Thông tin tác giả