title: Changing paradigms in dermatology: tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) blockade in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
abstract: Psoriasis is an inflammatory T cell-mediated disease characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and parakeratosis, resulting in lesional areas of thick and scaling skin. Elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, are found in psoriatic lesions. TNF-alpha has many effects in producing an inflammatory response such as stimulating production of pro-inflammatory molecules (eg, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, NF-kappaB) and adhesion molecules (eg, ICAM-1, P-selectin, E-selectin). As such, TNF-alpha is a target for immunotherapy in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of psoriasis is reviewed, along with clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of new anti-TNF-alpha immunobiologics in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA. victorfr@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.forename: Alice B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menter
mesh_terms: D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha