Gene expression profiling of porokeratosis demonstrates similarities with psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Porokeratosis (PK) is a clinically heterogeneous entity associated with sharply demarcated, annular, or serpiginous lesions with a hyperkeratotic ridge. This disorder is associated with aberrant keratinocyte differentiation that histologically manifests as a stack of parakeratin termed the cornoid lamella; this structure represents the peripheral hyperkeratotic ridge of clinical lesions. Histologically, the keratinocytes forming the cornoid lamella demonstrate an altered differentiation program. However, the molecular basis of PK remains incompletely understood.


METHODS
As a first step in characterizing PK at the molecular level, gene expression profiling was performed on a cornoid lamella isolated from a large, Mibelli-type porokeratotic lesion. As a control, gene expression profiling of peripheral uninvolved epidermis was also performed. The gene expression profile of cornoid lamellar keratinocytes was compared with similar profiles obtained from a psoriatic plaque and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.


RESULTS
Our study demonstrates a striking similarity between the gene expression profiles of PK and psoriasis. In addition, novel markers of the porokeratotic keratinocytes were identified, including keratin 16, S-100 A8 and A9, and connexin 26.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the hypothesis that PK is a disorder of hyperproliferative keratinocytes exhibiting similarity at the molecular level to psoriasis. Consequently, some therapeutic modalities efficacious for psoriasis may be of benefit in PK.
Hivnor
Chad
C
Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Williams
Nathan
N
Singh
Fiza
F
VanVoorhees
Abby
A
Dzubow
Leonard
L
Baldwin
Donald
D
Seykora
John
J
D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017499:Porokeratosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D012333:RNA, Messenger