Korean J Dermatol.  2005 Jun;43(6):769-773.

Pruritus and Nerve Growth Factor in Psoriasis

• Choi JC
• Yang JH
• Chang SE
• Choi JH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Many patients with psoriasis also suffer with pruritus. However, the literature on pruritus in psoriasis is sparse. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to examine the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptor (NGF-R) in psoriatic lesions, with or without pruritus, using a confocal laser scanning microscope. METHOD: A skin biopsy was obtained from 10 psoriatic patients with pruritus, 10 psoriatic patients without pruritus and 10 normal control subjects. Immunofluorescence staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy were performed. RESULTS: The psoriatic lesions with pruritus showed an increase in the expression of NGF and NGF-R compared with the psoriatic lesions without pruritus. NGF was expressed in the entire epidermis, but NGF-R was expressed in the basal cell layer only. The psoriatic lesions without pruritus showed an increase in the expression of NGF compared with the normal controls. There was no difference between the psoriatic lesions without pruritus and normal controls in the expression of NGF-R. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that possible pruritogenic factors in psoriasis are neurogenic factors including NGF, and provide the groundwork for further studies to clarify the mechanism involved in pruritus of psoriasis.

Keyword

Psoriasis; Pruritus; Nerve growth factor; Confocal laser scanning microscopy

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Epidermis
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Humans
Microscopy, Confocal
Nerve Growth Factor*
Pruritus*
Psoriasis*
Skin
Nerve Growth Factor