[Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of main adhesion molecules and tumor necrosis factors in the synovial membrane of psoriatic arthritis].
OBJECTIVE
To define the expression and pattern of the synovial distribution of adhesion molecules such as E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 and of TNFalpha and TNFbeta cytokines in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), according to the synovitis duration.


METHODS
Cryostatic sections of the synovial membrane tissue samples were stained for the different antibodies using a standard three-stage-immunoperoxidase-labeling technique.


RESULTS
E-selectin grade of staining was higher in those patients with a shorter disease duration compared to longstanding synovitic specimens, as well as ICAM-1 expression. On the contrary a higher VCAM-1 positivity was mainly found in longstanding PsA patients. Anti-TNFalpha positivity was found almost in all the specimens with no difference among the two groups, while the intensity of anti-TNFbeta positivity was globally higher in longstanding cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Different adhesion molecules may separately participate to the synovitic process in the different phases of PsA, leading to the hypothesis of their different involvement during the disease evolution. Moreover the upregulation of TNFalpha and TNFbeta gives evidence to their local proinflammatory effect within the synovium and to their role in perpetuating the PsA synovitis.
D000328:Adult; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D013585:Synovitis / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1