title: Immunohistochemical assessment of endothelin-1 axis in psoriasis, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endothelin-1 is an autocrine growth factor for keratinocytes, an effect controlled by its A and B receptors, with no previous comparison of endothelin axis expression in inflammatory and neoplastic skin diseases showing keratinocyte proliferation. The aim of the study was to investigate endothelin-1 axis expression in skin lesions of psoriasis, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 40 subjects (8 patients with SCC, 12 patients with BCC, 10 patients with psoriasis, and 10 healthy controls). Biopsies from lesional skin of patients and normal skin of controls were examined immunohistochemically for endothelin-1 and its receptors A and B frequency and grade of expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endothelin-1 and receptor A were detected in all patients with SCC and psoriasis, with a higher frequency and grade of expression than controls and BCC. The frequency of receptor B expression was significantly lower while higher staining grade was found in BCC (8.3%) rather than other studied groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A comparable higher frequency and grade of expression of endothelin-1 and its receptor A are documented in psoriasis and SCC than in BCC and controls denoting their involvement in keratinocyte proliferation in both diseases. Receptor A is the predominately expressed receptor in psoriasis and SCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Abbasseya square, Cairo, Egypt - smousasalem@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gamal Aly
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salah Youssef
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moneim El-Shaer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B