Significance And Expression Of Serum Neopterin And Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor In Psorisis

Objective:Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammation skin disorder, although the pathogenesis of psoriasis is not clear, but at present the academic circles think that psoriasis is T lymphocyte-mediated immune disease, and a Th1 profile disease. The alteration of histopathology is keratinocyte proliferation, inflammatiory cell infiltration and vascularization abnormality, inflammatiory cell infiltration and vascularization abnormality are the earliest pathological alternation. Neopterin (Npt) levels reflects the degree of monocyte or macrophage activation and T cell-mediated immune status in vivo, there is a good correlation between Npt levels and some diseases activety, therapy and prognosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes endothelial cell division, proliferation and promotes new blood vessel formation. So we investigate the role of serum Npt and VEGF levels in occurrence and severity of posriasis. Methods:We have measured serum Npt and VEGF levels by ELISA in 37 patients with plaque-type psoriasis before and after treatment, and the results were compared with the control group of 20 healthy, nonpsoriatic volunteers. The disease severity was assessed in all patients by means of the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score before and after treatment, the relationship between Npt and PASI, VEGF and PASI were analysed. We also analysed the relationship between serum Npt and VEGF pretreatment and posttreatment. Results:Serum Npt and VEGF levels were significantly elevated in the psoriasis group compared with the control group (P=0.001), Serum Npt levels were elevated in psoriatic patients active stage compared with regressive stage before treatment (P＜0.05), serum Npt and VEGF were significantly reduced after treatment (P=0.001). There was a correlation between pretreatment or posttreatment serum Npt levels and psoriasis PASI scores (P=0.01,r=0.61; P=0.01,r=0.66). There were a correlation between pretreatment or posttreatment serum VEGF levels and psoriasis PASI scores (P=0.01,r=0.74; P=0.01,r=0.44). There were a correlation between pretreatment or posttreatment serum Npt levels and VEGF levels (P=0.05,r=0.40; P=0.01,r=0.51). Conclusion:Serum Npt and VEGF play a important role in pathogenesis of psoriatic disease. It can be an marker for adjusting the dose of immunosuppressive agent dosage psoriasis, it provides theoretical background for developing new drug for psoriasis.