SOLUBLE E-SELECTIN AND SOLUBLE TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR RECEPTOR (60-KD)SERUM LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS

Background: Increased tumour necrosis factor alpha has been found in p soriatic skin. This cytokine activates endothelial cells and induces t he membrane E-selectin molecule (E-selectin or endothelial leucocyte a dhesion molecule 1); the same cytokine is able to induce its own recep tors. Since the soluble forms of E-selectin and tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNF-R, 60 kD) may be reliably measured in body fluids, thes e determinations have been performed in the sera of psoriatic patients . Objective: To evaluate endothelial activation in psoriatic patients, sE-selectin has been determined in patient sera and compared with tho se of a control group. sTNF-R (60 kD) was also measured in the same sa mples. Methods: Two commercially available enzyme immunoassay methods have been used to determine sE-selectin and sTNF-R (60 kD) in the sera of 19 patients with plaque-type psoriasis; 22 healthy subjects were u sed as controls. Conclusions: Significantly increased amounts of sE-se lectin serum levels were found in psoriatic patients as compared to he althy controls. Moreover, a direct correlation between sE-selectin and PASI scores was observed. On the contrary, sTNF-R (60 kD) serum level s presented no increases. These data suggest that sE-selectin serum le vels are a reliable marker of disease activity in psoriatic patients.