Psoriasis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Psoriasis, including details on treatment, prevention, medication, causes.

Selective persistence of dermal CD8+ T cells in lesional plaque psoriasis after clobetasol-17 propionate treatment.

Bovenschen HJ, Vissers WH, Seyger MM, van de Kerkhof PC

University Medical Center Nijmegen, Department of Dermatology, NL-6500 HB Nijmengen, The Netherlands. J.Bovenschen@derma.umcn.nl

In psoriasis, T-cell infiltration and epidermal hyperproliferation are key phenomena which are closely related. Our aim was to investigate the dynamics among T-cell subsets in relation to epidermal proliferation and clinical severity in psoriasis during treatment with an ultra-potent corticosteroid. Seven psoriasis patients were treated twice daily for 14 days with clobetasol-17 propionate ointment. Punch biopsies were taken at day 0, 3, 7 and 14. Epidermal proliferation marker Ki-67 and CD4+, CD8+, CD45RO+, CD2+ T cells were quantified by immunohistochemical techniques and image analysis. The clinical score declined significantly (60%; p<0.01) and a 47% reduction of Ki-67+ nuclei was observed after only 3 days (p<0.01). In the epidermis all investigated T-cell subsets were significantly reduced at day 14 (p<0.05). In the dermis, treatment resulted in a significant decrease of CD4+, CD45RO+ and CD2+ T cells, but dermal CD8+ T cells persisted. In psoriasis, reduction of clinical severity and epidermal proliferation during the early phase of topical corticosteroid therapy cannot primarily be the result of decreased T-cell subsets. Furthermore, selective persistence of dermal CD8+ T cells was observed, which might be associated with disease relapse.

Published 12 April 2005 in Acta Derm Venereol, 85(2): 113-7.
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