[Apoptosis of psoriatic keratinocytes and the severity of patients' condition].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlation between the apoptosis of psoriatic keratinocytes (KCs) in the psoriatic lesions and patient's condition.


METHODS
Thirty patients with psoriasis were included. Activated caspase-3 was examined by colorimetric method in skin biopsy specimens. The apoptotic KCs were detected with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay in skin biopsy specimens. The severities of 26 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV) were assessed using the PASI scoring system and the severities of psoriatic lesions.


RESULTS
Apoptotic indexes (AI) were higher in the pustular psoriatic lesions than those in the vulgaris psoriatic lesions (P<0.05). In 26 patients with PV, AI and activated caspase-3 in the lesions were significantly higher in the progressive stage than those in the static and the regressive stages (P<0.05). There were no correlations between PASI and AI or the expression of activated caspase-3 in PV lesions (P>0.05). The severities of psoriatic lesions were positively correlated to AI or the expression of activated caspase-3 in PV lesions (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The amount of apoptotic KCs may be related to varied types, stages of psoriasis, and severities of psoriatic lesions.
Chen
Jing
J
Department of Dermatology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
Lu
Jian-yun
JY
Tang
Zhao-hui
ZH
Zuo
Cheng-xin
CX
Huang
Jin-hua
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3