Novel quantitative immunofluorescent technique reveals improvements in epidermal cell populations after mild treatment of psoriasis.
A novel antibody labelling technique, the Zenon technique, was used in fluorescent immunohistochemistry for a better characterization of epidermal cell populations in a quantitative approach. With this technique, differences in proliferation and differentiation characteristics were shown between psoriatic and normal epidermis. The sensitivity of the method was investigated by assessing the effect of a mild topical treatment versus an emollient. Frozen sections of non-treated psoriatic epidermis and psoriatic epidermis treated once daily with either an emollient or betamethasone-17-valerate for only 2 weeks were compared immunohistochemically. Antibodies against keratin 6, 10 and 15 were labelled with the Zenon technique, whereas antibodies against the Ki-67 antigen and beta-1 integrin were covalently FITC-labelled. Using image analysis, these markers were measured in the epidermis in a standardized manner. Treatment of psoriasis with short-term topical steroid resulted towards normalization of Ki-67 antigen, beta-1 integrin, keratin 10 and keratin 6 expression, which are parameters for proliferation and differentiation. Although treatment with an emollient showed hardly any clinical response, changes towards a more normal phenotype could already be detected in several epidermal markers using this method.
van Duijnhoven
Mirella W F M
MW
Department of Dermatology, UMC St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Hagenberg
Ronald
R
Pasch
Marcel C
MC
van Erp
Piet E J
PE
van de Kerkhof
Peter C M
PC
D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001624:Betamethasone Valerate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004643:Emollients; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000276:immunology; D007633:Keratins / Q000276:immunology; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D000906:Antibodies; D004643:Emollients; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019012:Integrin beta1; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D007633:Keratins; D001624:Betamethasone Valerate