RT-PCR topography of chronic psoriasis skin based on analysis of T-cell receptor B variable region gene usage.
Psoriasis is a hyperproliferative inflammatory disease and 70% of patients develop a chronic plaque form. The pathogenesis of psoriasis is not known but evidence exists that T cells play a crucial role. The T cell V-gene receptor repertoire from psoriasis skin (different layers) was compared with peripheral blood T cells by employing RNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. T cell receptor (TCR) BV 5.1, 11, 12, 13.1 and 16 were utilized to a significantly higher degree in areas close to the basal layers when compared to CD4+, CD8+ or unfractionated blood T cells from the same patients, whereas only BV11 and 13.1 genes of T cells from deeper layers of the dermis showed such a skewed usage. No biased usage of TCRBV genes was observed in superficial layers or in whole skin. Furthermore, T cell receptor junctional diversity analysed by high resolution gel electrophoresis showed skin psoriatic T cells to be poly- or oligoclonal. In conclusion, we show that TCRBV gene usage from different layers of psoriatic skin has a different pattern compared with the corresponding gene usage in circulating peripheral blood T cells. This pattern may implicate possible skin-associated antigen or superantigens activating a limited number of T cells in areas of skin close to basal layers, which in turn could promote keratinocyte proliferation.
Ahangari
G
G
Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Halapi
E
E
Tehrani
M J
MJ
Fransson
J
J
Hammar
H
H
Wigzell
H
H
D000941:Antigens; D001483:Base Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens