title: Cytokines and anticytokines in psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune hyperproliferative skin disease of varying severity affecting approximately 2-3% of the general population in the USA and Europe. Although the pathogenesis of psoriasis has not been fully elucidated, an immunologic-genetic relationship is likely. Cutaneous and systemic overexpression of various proinflammatory cytokines (TNF, interleukins, interferon-gamma) has been demonstrated in psoriatic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the current database literature and summarized the involvement of cytokines and their receptors in the pathogenesis and treatment of psoriasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although many cytokine/anti-cytokine therapies have been conducted, TNF antagonists in the treatment of both psoriasis arthropatica and vulgaris appear to be the most widely used clinically. Interestingly, the efficacy and tolerability of some cytokines (rhIL-11 or ABX-IL-8,) were found to be much lower than expected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results obtained with cytokine and anti-cytokine therapies appear promising and as such continued research is clearly indicated.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland. aldonkapietrzak@o2.pl
authors.forename: Aldona T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zalewska
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chodorowska
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krasowska
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michalak-Stoma
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nockowski
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Osemlak
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paszkowski
authors.forename: Jacek M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Roliński
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma