Prolactin: does it have a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis?
BACKGROUND
The aetiopathogenesis of psoriasis is still not fully understood. Recently, it has been reported that prolactin (PRL) exerts a proliferative effect on human keratinocytes in vitro. PRL may, therefore, play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the serum PRL level in patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV).


METHODS
Serum levels of PRL were estimated in 12 patients with PV (age: 11-45 years with mean +/- SD 30.4 +/- 10.2 years; sex: 7 males, 5 females) and the results were compared with those in 9 patients with atopic dermatitis (age: 15-47 years with mean +/- SD 28.1 +/- 11.9 years; sex: 4 males, 5 females) and 20 normal control subjects (age: 16-45 years with mean +/- SD 36.1 +/- 11.9 years; sex: 15 males, 5 females).


RESULTS
Serum PRL in PV (mean +/- SD 25.8 +/- 16.1 ng/ml) was significantly higher compared to those in atopic dermatitis (mean +/- SD 9.1 +/- 4.7 ng/ml) and normal control subjects (mean +/- SD 10.3 +/- 5.3 ng/ml; ANOVA --> p = 0.0008). Three patients with PV (2 males and 1 female with ages of 35, 40 and 11 years, respectively) had the highest serum levels well above the normal range but they were <100 ng/ml, the minimum limit for the diagnosis of prolactinoma (chi2 test --> p <0.025).


CONCLUSIONS
Since PRL belongs to the growth hormone family, its raised serum level may have a role in the hyperproliferation of kerationocytes in vivo, the hallmark of the psoriasis disease process.
Giasuddin
A S
AS
Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Arab Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
El-Sherif
A I
AI
El-Ojali
S I
SI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D011388:Prolactin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine