Clear association between serum levels of adipokines and T-helper 17-related cytokines in patients with psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis represents one of the T-helper (Th)17-mediated autoimmune diseases, and has been shown to be associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). It has been reported that some adipokines and Th17-related cytokines are altered in patients with psoriasis.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between levels of adipokines and Th17-related cytokines in the serum of patients with psoriasis compared with healthy controls.


METHODS
We enrolled 30 patients with psoriasis and 30 normal controls in the study, and used ELISA to measure serum adipokines and Th17-related cytokines. The association between each adipokine and each cytokine was determined using Pearson correlation analysis. Multiple regression analysis using all adipokines and Th17-related cytokines as covariates was also performed.


RESULTS
Pearson correlation analysis showed a strong positive association between chemerin and resistin levels and between adiponectin and high molecular weight adiponectin in normal controls. By contrast, in patients with psoriasis, resistin levels were significantly positively associated with tumour necrosis factor-α, while there was a strong negative association between retinol binding protein-4 and interleukin (IL)-6 levels. Interestingly, a marked positive correlation between IL-22 and adiponectin was also found in patients with psoriasis. Leptin levels correlated positively with IL-6 in patients with psoriasis, but this did not reach significance. The correlations identified by the multiple regression analyses were almost identical to those from the Pearson analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that distinct interaction between adipokines and Th17 cytokines is involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Department of Dermatology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Japan. nakajima@kochi-u.ac.jp
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D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
D054392:Adipokines; D016207:Cytokines