title: Reduction of RANTES expression in lesional psoriatic skin after narrow band ultraviolet therapy: a possible marker of therapeutic efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) production in psoriatic lesions may amplify the inflammation in these lesions. Narrow band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB), a therapeutic modality for psoriasis, affects the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to evaluate RANTES mRNA expression in skin lesions of psoriasis before and after NB-UVB phototherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 25 psoriatic patients who received 24 sessions of NB-UVB. Skin biopsies were taken before and after phototherapy for real time PCR evaluation of RANTES mRNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative quantitation values (RQ) of RANTES mRNA expression was significantly reduced after treatment. A significant negative correlation was found between pre-treatment RQ RANTES mRNA expression and post-treatment PASI score. We found a significant negative correlation between dRQ RANTES mRNA expression (difference between RQ RANTES mRNA expression before and after phototherapy) and PASI score after phototherapy. We found significant negative correlations between pre-treatment RQ RANTES mRNA expression and both initial response session number and total NB-UVB dose at the end of phototherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NB-UVB reduces RANTES mRNA expression in psoriatic lesions. Pre-treatment RQ RANTES mRNA expression could be considered as a marker for clinical improvement and NB-UVB phototherapy efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, 13th Abrag Othman, Kournish el Maadi, 11431 Cairo Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amr A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rateb
authors.forename: Marwa M T
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fawzi
authors.forename: Rania M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Abdel Hay
authors.forename: Faissal N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Khalda S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Amr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D012313:RNA