engleski

Perforin-2 is expressed in cutaneous lesions of psoriasis and lichen planus

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Psoriasis and lichen planus are inflammatory skin diseases mediated by T lymphocytes. Killer lymphocytes, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, synthetize cytotoxic granules loaded with pro-apoptotic and pore-forming proteins. Such molecules cause physical damage of target cells and have critical role in infection and regulation of autoimmunity. Perforin-2/macrophage-expressed protein 1 is a novel pore-forming protein family member recognized by its potent bactericidal ability. We aimed to evaluate the presence of perforin-2 in the skin, both in physiological (healthy skin) as well as in inflammatory conditions. For the latter, two distinct skin pathologies were chosen ; lichen planus, a prototype disease mediated by apoptotic cell death of keratinocytes and psoriasis as one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin diseases. MATERIAL & METHODS: Immunohistochemistry for perforin-2 was performed in biopsy samples from lesional and non-lesional skin of patients with psoriasis and cutaneous lichen planus and in skin of healthy controls (5 patients per group). RESULTS: We found increased perforin-2 expression in psoriatic and lichen planus lesional skin in comparison with both non-lesional and healthy skin. The vast majority of perforin-2 positive cells were observed in dermal compartment of psoriatic and lichen planus lesional skin. Based on morphology, at least part of perforin-2 positive cells were macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Perforin-2 expression is upregulated in psoriatic and lichen planus lesional skin. Further analysis is warranted in order to characterize the cell populations expressing the protein as well as its potential role in the pathogenesis of these and other inflammatory skin diseases.

psoriasis ; lichen planus ; perforin-2 ; macrophage-expressed protein 1

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