Increased HIF-1 alpha immunostaining in psoriasis compared to psoriasiform dermatitides.
BACKGROUND
Expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) alpha can be linked to inflammation through reciprocal interactions with several cytokines. This finding is in accordance with the previously noted HIF-1 alpha overexpression in psoriatic lesional keratinocytes.


METHODS
In this study we have employed a carefully selected panel of antibodies and quantitative morphometric analysis to compare HIF-1 alpha immunoreactivity in psoriatic biopsy samples vs. that in samples obtained from psoriasiform dermatitides.


RESULTS
We found statistically significant HIF-1 alpha overexpression in psoriasis. Furthermore, we observed a previously unreported preferential localization of immunoreactive keratinocytes in the immediate vicinity of inflamed and elongated papillae. This pattern of immunoreactivity may partially account for the observed increase of HIF-1 alpha immunostaining in psoriasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, our findings imply that possible novel therapeutic intervention(s) on the HIF-1 alpha pathway may offer another approach in controlling the inflammatory activity of psoriatic lesions.
Ioannou
Maria
M
Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
Sourli
Fani
F
Mylonis
Ilias
I
Barbanis
Sotirios
S
Papamichali
Rodula
R
Kouvaras
Evangelos
E
Zafiriou
Efterpi
E
Siomou
Paraskevi
P
Klimi
Eleni
E
Simos
George
G
Roussaki-Schulze
Aggeliki-Victoria
AV
Koukoulis
George
G
D003872:Dermatitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit