A Study Of The Roles Of IL-12, IL-18, AcPL And Costimulatory Molecules On The Pathogenesis Of Psoriasis

Objective: To investigate the expression of IL-12p35, IL-1240, IL-18 and its receptor AcPL mRNA and explore their roles in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.Methods: the expression of IL-12p35, IL-1240, IL-18 and AcPL mRNA were detected by RT-PCR technique in 12 cases of psoriasis vulgaris and 6 normal controls.Results: the expression of IL-12 p35 mRNA were found positive in both all of the psoriatic lesions and normal controls. However, the expression of IL-12p40 mRNA could only be detected in psoriatic lesion but not in normal controls. The expression level of IL-18 and AcPL mRNA were 2.883 ± 0.286 and 1.417 ± 0. 333 in the psoriatic lesions and 1.18 ± 0.232 and 0.985 ± 0. 053 in normal controls respectively, which showed significant difference in the two groups, P <0. 01.Conclusions; IL-12 and IL-18 might have important roles in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The roles of IL-12p40 might be more important than IL-12p35. IL-12 might synergize with IL-18 through IL-12p40. Objective: To investigate the role of costimulatory molecules CD28, CD80 and CD86 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.Methods: The expression of CD28, CD80 and CD86 were detected in lesional skin in 22 and in circulating lymphocytes in peripheral blood in 17 patients with psoriasis by immunohistochemical technique (ABC) and flow cytometry respectively. The normal skin and peripheral blood of the 15 controls were from the department of orthopaedics.Results By immunohistochemistry, the expression of CD28, CD80 and CD86 in the psoriatic lesions was significantly higher than in the normal controls (P<0.01), which was stronger in the progressive group than in the stable group (P<0. 05). According to the results of flow cytometry, the expression of CD28, CD80 and CD86 in the peripheral lymphocytes in psoriasis was significantly higher than in the normal controls (P<0. 01). CD28 showed no but CD80 and CD86 had significant difference between progressive and stable groups (P>0. 05, P<0. 01, P<0. 05 respectively).Conclusions CD28, CD80 and CD86 costimulatory molecules might play a certain role in the pathogenesis in psoriasis.