Clinical relevance of nerve growth factor serum levels in patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is known to act as a potent mediator in neuroinflammatory processes. Recent studies point to a role of NGF in the skin pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis. Hereby, NGF was found to interact with the major cellular components (mast cells and eosinophils) of both skin diseases.


OBJECTIVE
In order to investigate NGF serum levels as a possible clinical marker of disease activity and immunological status, we determined serum NGF, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), total IgE and score of AD (SCORAD) in 57 patients with AD as well as NGF and the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) in 17 patients with psoriasis. Fifty healthy subjects served as controls.


METHODS
We used a highly sensitive improved fluorometric two-site ELISA system for serum NGF detection. IgE and ECP were measured by CAP-FEIA and radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
We did not find a significant correlation between NGF and either ECP, total IgE, or severity of disease assessed by SCORAD. Also in patients with psoriasis, there was no significant correlation with disease activity determined by PASI.


CONCLUSIONS
Even though there is increasing evidence showing NGF to be involved in the local inflammatory pathophysiology of AD within skin lesions, our findings suggest that NGF systemic serum concentration is not a suitable parameter to estimate the clinical or immunological status of AD or psoriasis patients. This result is inconsistent with some previous studies showing a positive correlation of serum NGF with AD severity, which might be, for example, due to the fact that the present results are corrected for unspecific binding.
Schulte-Herbrüggen
O
O
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
Fölster-Holst
R
R
von Elstermann
M
M
Augustin
M
M
Hellweg
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor