Leukocyte-extracellular matrix interactions in psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
The basic phenomenon in psoriasis appears to be a directed leukocyte migration that in a great part, depends on the cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions.


METHODS
To evaluate the leukocyte-ECM interactions in psoriasis, we investigated the adherence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) to ECM components (collagen type I, IV, laminin, and fibronectin), using crystal violet staining and measuring absorbance at 570 nm.


RESULTS
In the most active cases of psoriasis (pin-point and guttate type) of short duration, we found a decreased adherence of PBMC to collagen type IV. In a majority of cases of actively spreading plaque psoriasis of large extent and longer duration, there was decreased adherence to all ECM components, especially to collagen type IV and laminin. The adhesion of PMNL to collagen type IV (but not to other ECM components) was increased only in cases of short duration. Preliminary data suggest that etretinate treatment may modulate leukocyte adherence to the ECM components in patients with psoriasis.


CONCLUSIONS
The decreased in vitro adherence of PBMC to ECM components, especially those of the basement membrane, may reflect their in vivo activation and migration to the epidermis, which is a basic phenomenon in psoriasis that could be affected by etretinate therapy.
Department of Dermatology, Warsaw School of Medicine, Poland.
A I
AI
el-Sherif
A
A
Krupinski
S
S
Majewski
S
S
Jablonska
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005050:Etretinate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D005050:Etretinate