ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Psoriasis vulgaris is characterized by T cell alterations both in skin and peripheral blood. There are reports indicating that apoptotic changes in keratinocytes and T lymphocytes may take role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris.

Objective:

The aim of the current study is to find out the apoptotic changes in peripheral lymphocytes of psoriasis patients.

Material and Methods:

57 psoriasis vulgaris and 27 healthy control subjects were included in the study. The levels of caspase-8 and caspase-9 in the sera of the patients and control subjects were measured by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method and the number and the percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes were calculated.

Results:

General demographic features of the study groups were similar. There was statistically significant difference between the mean apoptotic index of the patients (12.35 ± 3.50) and control group (5.27 ± 1.56), (p=0). The mean caspase-9 levels of the patients (2.2839 ± 0.0653 ng/mL) were also significantly higher than the levels of control subjects (1.9489 ± 0.0214 ng/mL), (p=0.017). The mean caspase-8 levels of the patients (0.1909 ± 0.0653 ng/mL) were significantly lower than the levels of control subjects (0.1919 ± 0.0214 ng/mL), (p=0.042).

Conclusions:

Increased apoptosis of peripheral lymphocytes of psoriasis patients can be interpreted as a part of the complex relationship of lymphocytes between periphery and skin. The major pathway of apoptosis in peripheral lymphocytes seems to be the intrinsic pathway as mean caspase- 9 levels were higher and the mean caspase-8 levels were lower than the levels of control subjects.