Archives of dermatological research
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Arch. Dermatol. Res. · Oct 1997
Intraepidermal nerve fiber expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide and substance P in psoriasis.
In order to evaluate more fully the role of neuropeptides in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, skin biopsies were obtained from 36 patients with psoriasis to identify substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Lesional and nonlesional skin was examined from these biopsies and the results compared with those from biopsies taken from patients with a variety of other inflammatory dermatoses, including lichen planus, lichen simplex chronicus, spongiotic dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis. Also studied was a series of nine biopsies taken from patients with no known skin disorders. ⋯ There was no significant difference in numbers of VIP- or CGRP-immunopositive intraepidermal nerve fibers between psoriatic skin and the group comprising all other material tested. However, in five patients with psoriasis, there was a marked increase in the expression of intraepidermal CGRP (up to 10.7 nerves per 3-mm biopsy) and VIP (up to 8.3 nerves per 3-mm biopsy) which was not observed in control groups. These findings suggest that neuropeptides SP, CGRP, and VIP play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
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Arch. Dermatol. Res. · Oct 1997
Role of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in fibroblasts derived from normal and hypertrophic scarred skin.
In order to elucidate the effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) on normal dermal fibroblasts (NDF) and on fibroblasts derived from hypertrophic scar (HSF) tissue, we compared proliferation, the levels of TGF-beta 1 protein and mRNA, the activity of type-I collagen synthesis and collagenase, and the response to recombinant human (rh) TGF-beta 1 in cultures of both types of cells which had been simultaneously collected from the same patients. We also studied the effects of anti-TGF-beta 1 antibody on the proliferation of these two types of fibroblasts in culture. In spite of the fact that the growth rate of HSF was higher than that of NDF, NDF proliferation was more sensitive to the concentration of rhTGF-beta 1. ⋯ In addition, the production of TGF-beta 1 and the expression of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in HSF were greater than in NDF. Furthermore, anti-TGF-beta 1 antibody reduced the rate of growth of HSF. These results suggest that HSF are able to produce TGF-beta 1, resulting in enhanced proliferation of these cells as well as in a rapid synthesis of type-I collagen through an autocrine mechanism which may lead to hypertrophic scarring.