Hm. Lewis et al., RESTRICTED T-CELL RECEPTOR V-BETA GENE USAGE IN THE SKIN OF PATIENTS WITH GUTTATE AND CHRONIC PLAQUE PSORIASIS, British journal of dermatology, 129(5), 1993, pp. 514-520
A strong association between acute guttate psoriasis and group A, beta
-haemolytic streptococcal infections is well established. Furthermore,
streptococcal M proteins and toxins have been shown to act as superan
tigens, stimulating subpopulations of T lymphocytes expressing particu
lar Vbeta families. We have therefore studied the possible role of str
eptococcal superantigens in psoriasis by staining peripheral T lymphoc
ytes and skin sections from patients with guttate or chronic plaque ps
oriasis for the expression of nine TCR Vbeta families, using a range o
f monoclonal antibodies. A marked over-representation of Vbeta2+ T lym
phocytes was observed in the dermis and epidermis of patients in both
groups, when compared with T lymphocytes in their peripheral blood. A
less marked dermal increase in Vbeta5.1+ T lymphocytes was also observ
ed in these patients. These findings are consistent with the involveme
nt of a superantigen, possibly streptococcal, in the pathogenesis of p
soriasis.