Serum levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 in patients with mild psoriasis vulgaris and effect of treatment with biological drugs.
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis is an immune cell-mediated disease in which cytokines play an important role. Studies have been performed to explore the relationship between the disease and cytokine blood levels with a view to finding a biomarker for monitoring disease severity/activity and treatment efficacy.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in patients with mild psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and the possible use of this cytokine in monitoring treatment with biological drugs.


METHODS
Serum levels of TGF-beta1 were estimated in 33 untreated patients (PI group), in 7 of these patients (PII group) before and after 3 months of treatment with one of two biological drugs (etanercept and efalizumab) and in 19 healthy volunteers (control group).


RESULTS
Significantly (P < 0.0001) higher serum levels of TGF-beta1 were found in the PI group [Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 9-10] compared with the 19 healthy volunteers. In the PII group, after the administration of one of the biological drugs, a 50% reduction in PASI and a significant (P = 0.032) decrease in TGF-beta1 was noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Raised TGF-beta1 levels in patients with mild PV decreased in tandem with a decrease in PASI after biological drug treatment. Hence, TGF-beta1 levels seem to be sensitive to changes in disease severity.
Kallimanis
P G
PG
Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli, Athens, Greece.
Xenos
K
K
Markantonis
S L
SL
Stavropoulos
P
P
Margaroni
G
G
Katsambas
A
A
Avgerinou
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000068800:Etanercept; C472181:efalizumab