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A potential contribution of psoriasin to vascular and epithelial abnormalities and inflammation in systemic sclerosis
Author(s) -
Takahashi T.,
Asano Y.,
Yamashita T.,
Nakamura K.,
Saigusa R.,
Miura S.,
Ichimura Y.,
Toyama T.,
Hirabayashi M.,
Taniguchi T.,
Yoshizaki A.,
Sato S.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/jdv.14459
Subject(s) - medicine , scleroderma (fungus) , interstitial lung disease , lung , inflammation , scars , immunohistochemistry , pathology , immune system , immunology , gastroenterology , inoculation
Background Antimicrobial peptides have attracted much attention as a member of disease‐associated molecules in systemic sclerosis ( SS c), which is pathologically characterized by immune abnormalities, vasculopathy and tissue fibrosis. Objective To investigate the potential contribution of one of the antimicrobial peptide psoriasin to the development of SS c. Methods Psoriasin expression in the skin samples and sera derived from SS c patients and its correlation with clinical parameters were analysed. Psoriasin expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry with skin samples from SS c patients and healthy controls. Serum levels of psoriasin were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 51 SS c patients and 19 healthy controls and assessed for the association with clinical symptoms. Results The expression of psoriasin was elevated in the epidermis of SS c lesional skin. Serum psoriasin levels were higher in SS c patients, especially in diffuse cutaneous SS c patients with disease duration of <6 years, than in healthy controls. With respect to clinical association, SS c patients with interstitial lung disease, telangiectasia and pitting scars had significantly augmented levels of serum psoriasin than those without each of these symptoms. In the subgroup of patients with interstitial lung disease, the elevation of serum psoriasin levels was associated with higher ground‐glass opacity scores. Furthermore, serum psoriasin levels were decreased after the treatment with intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse as compared to baseline values. Conclusion Our findings indicate a possible contribution of psoriasin to the development of clinical symptoms associated with vascular and epithelial abnormalities and inflammation in SS c, further supporting the roles of antimicrobial peptides in the SS c pathogenesis.