title: A novel transdermal plasmid-dimethylsulfoxide delivery technique for treatment of psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with various immunologic abnormalities. Repeated subcutaneous injection of interleukin-4 (IL-4) has been established as an effective treatment to counteract psoriasis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether gene therapy using IL-4 expression plasmid (pIL-4) via transdermal delivery was an alternative treatment for psoriasis. In our experiment, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was used as a penetration enhancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  At first, the penetration efficiency of the complex of reporter plasmid accompanied by DMSO was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Then, the antipsoriasis efficiency of the treatment with pIL-4-DMSO was tested in mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of the reporter gene was detected in epidermis and dermis both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, the psoriasis symptoms were relieved, and significant reductions in some psoriasis-associated factors were observed after pIL-4-DMSO treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the topical application of pIL-4-DMSO can treat psoriasis to a significant extent.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chang-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xi-Kun
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Yin-Bing
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Nong-Yu
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiang-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-Lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Han-Suo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xian-Cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Yong-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Hong-Xin
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yan-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yu-Quan
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010957:Plasmids; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide