title: Enhancement of mRNA expression of survivin and human beta-defensin-3 in lesions of psoriasis vulgaris.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suppression of apoptosis is one of the pathogenetic mechanisms for psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Survivin has the function of regulating cell division and inhibiting apoptosis. Patients with PV have an increased resistance to cutaneous infections. Human β-defensin-3 (hBD-3) is a kind of antimicrobial peptide with antimicrobial activities. To assess and compare the transcript levels of survivin and hBD-3 in pairwise skin from PV.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 patients, 10 with mild PV and 10 with severe PV, and 10 healthy control donors were recruited in the study. Real-time PCR was conducted to determine survivin and hBD-3 mRNA expression in skin lesions and normal-appearing skin of PV patients, and normal skin of healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal control skin, the survivin mRNA expression of normal-appearing skin in the mild PV group, lesions of the mild PV group and the severe PV group were significantly elevated (P<0.05). hBD-3 mRNA expression was statistically increased in both normal-appearing skin and in lesions in mild and severe PV groups, in contrast to normal skin (P<0.001). Significant differences of hBD-3 mRNA were also found between lesions and non-lesional skin in the mild PV group and severe PV group (P<0.05). Survivin mRNA levels were mildly correlated with hBD-3 mRNA levels (rs = 0.398; P<0.05) in skin lesions from 20 PV patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survivin and hBD-3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Shekou People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 12 Wulumuqizhong Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Shekou People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 12 Wulumuqizhong Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
authors.forename: Zhenghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077022:Survivin; D055815:Young Adult; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; C422950:DEFB103A protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000077022:Survivin; D023083:beta-Defensins
keywords: human β-defensin-3; mRNA; psoriasis vulgaris; survivin