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Up-regulation of corticotropin releasing hormone is associated with the downregulation of corticotropin releasing hormone binding protein and up-regulation of IL- 33 and IL-8 expression in psoriasis


Fei Su
Yun Xia
Meng Huang
Liang Zhang
Liuqing Chen

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the expression of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in psoriasis and normal skin biopsy samples, and to correlate the expression of CRH with the expression of CRHBP and inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-33.
Methods: Psoriasis and normal skin biopsy samples were obtained from three psoriatic and three normal healthy patients. The mRNA expression was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Protein expression analysis was carried out by Western blotting and then further validated by immunohistochemistry.
Results: The results of the present study revealed that the expression of CRH was highly significant (p < 0.0001) in psoriatic skin, compared to normal skin. Increase of CRH in psoriatic samples ranged from 2.7 to 3.5-fold. Expression of CRH was associated with the concomitant downregulation of CRHBP in all the psoriatic skin biopsy samples, with expression of CRHBP 3.0 to 6.2-fold lower in psoriatic skin than in normal skin. Analysis of mRNA expression of IL-8 and IL-33, revealed that expression of both IL-8 and IL-33 was significantly (p < 0.0001) upregulated in psoriatic skin samples while the expression of IL-8 and IL-33 was approximately 4.1- and 3.2-fold higher in psoriatic skin than in normal skin. The expression of CRHBP, IL-8 and IL-33 was further confirmed by western blotting and immunohistochemistry results.
Conclusion: The results confirm that the expression of CRH is associated with the suppression of CRHBP and upregulation of IL-8 and IL-33.

Keywords: Psoriasis, Corticotropin releasing hormone, Inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin, Skin biopsy


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eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996