Levels of endothelial cell stimulating angiogenesis factor and vascular endothelial growth factor are elevated in psoriasis

• Published in: British journal of dermatology (1951) Vol. 141; no. 6; pp. 1054 - 1060
• Main Authors: Bhushan, M., McLaughlin, B., Weiss, J.B., Griffiths, C.E.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.12.1999; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiogenesis Inducing Agents - blood; Angiogenesis Inducing Agents - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Culture Techniques; Chronic Disease; Dermatology; endothelial cell stimulating angiogenesis factor; Endothelial Growth Factors - blood; Endothelial Growth Factors - metabolism; Female; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Humans; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Lymphokines - blood; Lymphokines - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; psoriasis; Psoriasis - blood; Psoriasis - metabolism; Psoriasis. Parapsoriasis. Lichen; Skin - metabolism; vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; Human; Skin disease; Vascular endothelium growth factor; Angiogenic factor; Psoriasis; Pathogenesis; Cytokine; Skin
• ISSN: 0007-0963; 1365-2133
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.03205.x

Neovascularization appears to play an early and important part in the evolution of psoriatic plaques. We studied the distribution and production of two known angiogenesis factors, endothelial cell stimulating angiogenesis factor (ESAF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in the skin of patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and normal control subjects. Our results showed that tissue levels of ESAF and VEGF were significantly elevated in involved as compared with normal control skin (P = 0·006 and P < 0·0001, respectively). Tissue levels of ESAF and VEGF were also raised in involved skin as compared with uninvolved skin in patients with psoriasis (P = 0·001 and P < 0·0001, respectively). Tissue levels of ESAF and VEGF in plaques of psoriasis correlated closely with the clinical severity of psoriasis (r = 0·6 and r = 0·9, respectively). Serum levels of ESAF and VEGF were significantly raised in patients with psoriasis as compared with control subjects (P = 0·001 and P = 0·02, respectively). In vitro culture studies revealed that ESAF is produced by both keratinocytes and fibroblasts in approximately equal quantities in normal skin, whereas VEGF is secreted predominately by keratinocytes. A similar pattern is seen in both involved and uninvolved skin of patients with psoriasis. However, there is increased secretion of both factors in keratinocytes and fibroblasts from involved and uninvolved skin as compared with normal control skin (P < 0·001). The increased levels and secretion in plaques of psoriasis of two molecules, ESAF and VEGF, known to promote new blood vessel formation, suggest a pathogenetic role for them in this disease.