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.

Antagonism of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase ameliorates the psoriatic phenotype in organ-cultured skin.

Varani J, Lateef H, Fay K, Elder JT

Department of Pathology, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA. varani@umich.edu

Psoriatic plaque skin incubated for eight days in organ culture in the presence of a potent epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) antagonist reverted to a more normal histological appearance, while untreated psoriatic plaque skin retained histological features associated with the psoriatic phenotype. In concomitant studies it was shown that the EGF-RTK antagonist had no significant effect on histological features of non-psoriatic skin and no effect on dermal function, i.e. elaboration of both type I procollagen and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1; interstitial collagenase). When human epidermal keratinocytes were treated with the EGF-RTK antagonist in monolayer culture, growth inhibition was seen (ED(50) = approximately 0.06 microM). When dermal fibroblasts were exposed to the EGF-RTK antagonist in monolayer culture, proliferation, MMP-1 and type I procollagen production were essentially unaffected at concentrations which interfered with keratinocyte growth (up to 1 microM). The capacity of the EGF-RTK antagonist to modulate the histological features of psoriatic skin in organ culture under conditions in which normal skin architecture and dermal function are largely unaffected suggests a potential for anti-psoriatic therapy.

Published 17 May 2005 in Skin Pharmacol Physiol, 18(3): 123-31.
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