A quantitative immunohistochemical study of the expression of integrins by nerves in psoriatic and normal skin.
Qualitative and quantitative assessment of integrin expression by dermal nerves was made by an avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method on snap-frozen biopsies from affected psoriatic skin, and skin from normal control subjects with no history of skin disease. Nerves expressed alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, beta 1 and beta 4 integrin subunits, and perineural sheaths in the mid-dermis also expressed these subunits, with the exception of alpha 2. There were more upper dermal nerve segments expressing alpha 1 integrin compared with other integrins both in controls and in psoriatic skin. The greater number of nerves expressing alpha 1 integrin compared with other integrins may be due to anatomical or functional differences between groups of nerves. There were significantly more nerves expressing alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6 and beta 4 integrins in psoriatic skin compared with control skin. This generalized increase may indicate a secondary trophic effect on all nerves rather than a specific increase in one type of nerve. However, the expression of alpha 2 integrin may be significant in the pathogenesis of the psoriatic plaque, in that it was barely detectable in the normal site-matched biopsies, but much greater in psoriatic plaques. The study of the expression of adhesion molecules by neurones in psoriasis offers a new avenue for investigation of the role of neuronal hypertrophy in the initiation and maintenance of psoriatic plaques.
Andrew
S M
SM
Department of Pathological Sciences, Manchester University, U.K.
Edwards
B D
BD
Chalmers
R J
RJ
O'Driscoll
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009420:Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry*; D011565:Psoriasis; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000294:innervation*
D016023:Integrins