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European Journal of Dermatology

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Systemic photochemotherapy decreases the expression of IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and IL-23p19 in psoriatic plaques Volume 21, numéro 1, January-February 2011

Auteurs
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, Zmaj Jovina St 30, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia, Center for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) is a chronic skin disease with unclear pathogenesis. In the present study we investigated the effect of systemic photochemotherapy (PUVA therapy- psoralen and UVA therapy) on the expression of IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and IL-23p19 in lesional psoriatic skin. Fifteen patients with chronic plaque type psoriasis selected to be treated with PUVA therapy were recruited for this study. Expression of IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and IL-23p19 in psoriatic lesions before and after twenty PUVA treatments was established by using immunohistochemistry (IHC). A significant decrease in expression ( p < 0.05) of IFN-γ, IL-12p40 and IL-23p19 in epidermis and dermis of psoriatic lesions was observed. The immunosuppressive effect of PUVA therapy presented with decreased expression of biologically active IL-23 (IL-12/IL-23p40 + IL-23p19) as a part of the Th17 pathway, and IFN-γ (Th1 pathway) led, in our patients, to a marked clinical improvement as shown by PASI (before therapy 20.55 and after therapy 3.33).