Comparative Study of Infiltrating Cells of Early and Late Psoriatic Lesions using Immunohistochemical Staining

Cho, Hang Rae; Sim, Woo Young; Yang, Moon Ho; Kim, Nack In

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Psoriasis is a chronic relapsing disease characterized by epidermal hyperproliferation and epiderrnal and dermal inflammatory cell infiltration. The etiology of this disease is still unclear. Recently, there has been growing interest in the probable role of a T cell mediated immune response in the pathogetiesis of psoriasis. The infiltrating cells in psoriatic lesions have been iden- tified by monoclonal ant~ibodies and T cells were found to be the major infiltrating type.
OBJECTIVE
This stud was done to investigate the difference of cellular infiltration and adhesion molecule exg!ressions between early and late skin lesions of psoriasis using immunohistochernical studies. Methpds : Patients with psoriatic lesions were divided into two groups. The early gr oup were defined as having skin lisions that had lasted for about 4 weeks, and late group were defined as having skin lesions that had lasted for more than 8 weeks. Then biopsy specirnens were stained using monoclonal antibidies for CD4, CD8, CD1, LFA-1, and ICAM l.
RESULTS
1. CD4 positive cells,vere tly increased in both the early and late groups compared with CD8 positive cells. Z. CD8 positive cells were significantly increased in the late g~roup compared with the early group. 3. CDl-posit,ive dendri!ic cells were more nurnerous in the late group than the early group. 4. There were no significant differences between the early and late group with regard to numbers of LFA-1 positive (ells. 5. ICAM-1 were more strongly expressed on epidermal keratinocytes in the late than the early group.
CONCLUSION
CD4-positive cells are important in early and late psoriatic lesions and CD8 positive cells playi more important role in late than early lesions. ICAM-1 and LI'A-1 play a role in cell adhesion of infiltrating cells and lymphocytic rnigration to the epidermis.