IL-1ALPHA, IL-1BETA AND PSORIASIS - CONFLICTING RESULTS IN THE LITERATURE - OPPOSITE BEHAVIOR OF THE 2 CYTOKINES IN LESIONAL OR NON-LESIONAL EXTRACTS OF WHOLE SKIN

A still debated question in the field of the cytokine network in psori asis is represented by contrasting data reported on the local amount o f IL-1 in this dermatosis. In fact previous studies have suggested tha t there were decreased IL-1alpha amounts at the lesional level but inc reased non-functional IL-1beta concentrations as compared to the non-l esional and normal epidermis. However, recent data suggest that IL-1al pha and to a lesser extent, IL-1beta amounts, are both increased and b iologically active in the epidermal cell suspension of lesional psoria tic skin as compared to those of normal skin. The data reported in the present paper show that IL-1alpha levels are decreased in psoriatic l esional extracts of whole skin (mean 2.9 +/- 2 pg/mg) as compared to n on-lesional (mean 67 +/- 6.2 mg/mg, p = 0.02) or normal skin (mean 13. 8 +/- 9.4 pg/mg; p = 0.0002). IL-1alpha concentrations were also signi ficantly lower in the non-lesional skin than in normal skin (p = 0.02) . In contrast, the IL-1beta levels (mean 1.2 +/- 0.74 pg/mg) were high er in the lesional samples than in the non-lesional ones (mean 0.5 +/- 0.4 pg/mg,. p = 0.004) or in nor mal skin (mean 0.4 +/- 0.2 pg/mg; p = 0.004). No differences in IL-1beta levels weve observed between non- lesional and normal shin (p = 0.3). In addition both IL-1alpha and IL- 1beta ave directly cor-related with the disease severity and each othe r. Our data, extending the IL-1 determination to the whole skin, seem to confirm the previously, reported findings at the epidermis level an d provide new light on possible interpretation of literature discrepan cies.