title: Vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in psoriasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate expression patterns and relationship of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vascular endothelial receptor-3 (VEGF-R3) (FLT-4) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three patients were included in this study. The clinical severity of psoriasis was assessed using the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Punch biopsy samples both from psoriatic and nonlesional skin were taken and VEGF, VEGF-R3 and COX-2 expressions determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VEGF, VEGF-R3 and COX-2 expressions were detected in 90.9%, 78.0% and 86.4% of psoriatic and 84.1%, 71.8%, and 84.1% of nonlesional skin, respectively. Epidermal VEGF, VEGF-R3 and COX-2 expressions were detected in 56.8%, 77.8% and 34.1 of psoriatic and 75%, 78.1% and 65.9% of nonlesional skin, respectively. In dermis, VEGF, VEGF-R3 and COX-2 expression was observed in 88.6%, 77.5% and 84.1% of psoriatic and 81.8%, 64.1% and 77.3% of nonlesional skin, respectively. Among the PASI subgroups no statistically significant differences were detected for VEGF, VEGF-R3 and COX-2 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that VEGF, VEGF-R3 and COX-2 expression in psoriatic and nonlesional skin is significantly high in epidermis and dermis. Although there was significant concordance between VEGF and VEGF-R3 expressions in psoriatic lesions, there seems to be no concordance between the others.
authors.affiliation: First Dermatology Clinic, Ankara Numune Educational and Research Hospital, Turkey. yalcinbasak@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Başak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yalçin
authors.forename: Gaye Güler
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Tezel
authors.forename: Nilüfer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arda
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erman
authors.forename: Nuran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020405:Dermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3