title: Is psoriasis an autoimmune disease? Interpretations from an immunofluorescence-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis is a multisystem, immune-mediated inflammatory disease. Some authors have proposed an autoimmune basis for psoriasis; however, till date, it has not been definitely established. This study was conducted to explore the autoimmune nature of psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study in which 43 psoriasis patients were assessed for detailed clinical, histopathological and immunopathological features to explore the diagnostic utility of subtypes, intensity and number of immunoreactants in lesional and non-lesional skin in these patients. In addition, the sera of these patients were analyzed for the presence of various autoantibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients' age ranged from 14 to 75 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.52:1. Nine patients (20.93%) were positive for antinuclear and 2 (4.65%) for antismooth muscle antibodies. Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) was positive in 31 (72%) biopsies from the lesional and 27 (63%) biopsies from non-lesional skin. In all these DIF positive cases, granular deposits of C5b-9 were detected at the dermoepidermal junction. No significant difference was observed on comparing the type and pattern of immunoreactant positivity, among lesional and non-lesional skin biopsies (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant association between psoriasis and immunoreactant deposition as well as autoantibody seroprevalence was observed, thereby refuting a definite autoimmune basis for psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Shashi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Parikshaa
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2159-4325
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Ranjeet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0464-2989
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Ranjana W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Minz
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Biman
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chhabra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies
keywords: antinuclear antibodies; autoimmunity; direct; immunofluorescence; indirect; psoriasis