title: Intraepidermal nerve fiber expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide and substance P in psoriasis.
abstract: In order to evaluate more fully the role of neuropeptides in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, skin biopsies were obtained from 36 patients with psoriasis to identify substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Lesional and nonlesional skin was examined from these biopsies and the results compared with those from biopsies taken from patients with a variety of other inflammatory dermatoses, including lichen planus, lichen simplex chronicus, spongiotic dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis. Also studied was a series of nine biopsies taken from patients with no known skin disorders. We found an increase in the number of SP-positive nerve fibers within the epidermis in biopsies from lesional skin of psoriasis patients (8.4 nerves per 3-mm biopsy) compared with nonlesional psoriatic skin (2.6 nerves per 3-mm biopsy) and normal skin (2.0 nerves per 3 mm biopsy). Other inflammatory disorders also demonstrated fewer SP-positive nerves than lesional psoriatic skin; lichen planus (0 nerves per 3 mm biopsy) and lichen simplex chronicus (1.3 nerves per 3 mm biopsy). The difference in SP-positive nerve expression between lesional psoriatic skin and the group comprising nonlesional skin, normal skin, lichen planus, and lichen simplex chronicus attained statistical significance (P < 0.013). SP-positive intraepidermal nerve fibers in lesional psoriatic specimens were fewer than in spongiotic dermatitis (17.4 nerves per 3 mm biopsy). There was no significant difference in numbers of VIP- or CGRP-immunopositive intraepidermal nerve fibers between psoriatic skin and the group comprising all other material tested. However, in five patients with psoriasis, there was a marked increase in the expression of intraepidermal CGRP (up to 10.7 nerves per 3-mm biopsy) and VIP (up to 8.3 nerves per 3-mm biopsy) which was not observed in control groups. These findings suggest that neuropeptides SP, CGRP, and VIP play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Smoller
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Raychauduri
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Farber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013373:Substance P / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide