Surfactant proteins in psoriasis vulgaris and lichen planus

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to investigate the surfactant proteins expression levels in psoriasisvulgaris and lichen planus. Volunteer six patients with psoriasis and six patients with lichenplanus were enrolled consecutively in this study. Biopsies from each lesion and adjacentnormal-appearing skin were performed. Expression and localization of the surfactant proteinsin fresh tissues were studied by an immunofluorescence technique and expression of sur-factant proteins was determined in skin tissues by semiquantitative RT-PCR. In all patients,weak surfactant proteins -A, -B, -D stainings were observed in epidermis in normal-appearingskin. Strong surfactant proteins -C cytoplasmic stainings were observed in all patients’normal-appearing skin. Strong cytoplasmic and nuclear surfactant proteins -A, -B, -C, -Dstainings were observed in keratinocytes in lesional area of the patients with psoriasis vulgarisand lichen planus. surfactant proteins -A, B, C and D strong nuclear stainings were obtainedin inflammatory cells infiltrating dermis. surfactant proteins -D mRNA expressions weresignificantly increased in lesional skin. The increased expression of surfactant proteins mightbe explained by the intense hyperproliferation and an increased number of cells. However,only surfactant proteins -D was up-regulated on the gene transcriptional level in psoriasisvulgaris and lichen planus that may play important roles in the pathophysiology of theseinflammatory skin diseases.