Apoptosis of psoriatic keratinocytes and the severity of patients' condition / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation between the apoptosis of psoriatic keratinocytes (KCs) in the psoriatic lesions and patient's condition.@*METHODS@#Thirty patients with psoriasis were included. Activated caspase-3 was examined by colorimetric method in skin biopsy specimens. The apoptotic KCs were detected with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay in skin biopsy specimens. The severities of 26 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV) were assessed using the PASI scoring system and the severities of psoriatic lesions.@*RESULTS@#Apoptotic indexes (AI) were higher in the pustular psoriatic lesions than those in the vulgaris psoriatic lesions (P0.05). The severities of psoriatic lesions were positively correlated to AI or the expression of activated caspase-3 in PV lesions (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The amount of apoptotic KCs may be related to varied types, stages of psoriasis, and severities of psoriatic lesions.