title: Role of NF-κB in the pathogenesis of psoriasis elucidated by its staining in skin biopsy specimens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  NF-κB is a transcription factor belonging to the Re1 family, and it regulates the activity of a large number of proinflammatory genes. Its role in psoriasis, which is a prototype chronic inflammatory disease, is therefore expected to be considerable. It has been found that many of the triggering factors for psoriasis initiate inflammation by activation of NF-κB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Skin biopsies of 74 psoriatic cases were studied for the grade of NF-κB staining. They were then correlated with the histopathological indices of severity, especially epidermal hyperplasia and inflammatory infiltrate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epidermal nuclear positivity for NF-κB correlated with the grade of epidermal hyperplasia (P = 0.043). There was a significant correlation between grade of basal cell positivity of NF-κB and inflammatory infiltrate (P = 0.004). Lymphocyte staining showed a strong correlation with epidermal and basal cell staining pattern for NF-κB (P = 0.004 and 0.003, respectively). There was, however, no correlation of lymphocyte staining with any histopathological parameter. There was also a peculiar propensity for NF-κB to show a positive nuclear stain at the tips of dermal papillae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study has demonstrated that translocation of NF-κB in the epidermis and basal cells is responsible for two of the key pathological features of psoriasis, epidermal hyperplasia, and inflammation. We have postulated that translocation of NF-κB in lymphocytes, in psoriatic skin leads to NF-κB translocation in the epidermis and basal cells. NF-κB is therefore likely to be one of the key molecules in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Nikhil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moorchung
authors.forename: Janmeet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kulaar
authors.forename: Manas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Biju
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.forename: Tanu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Vibha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dutta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B
keywords: NF-κB; pathogenesis; psoriasis