Immunopathology of psoriasis

✍ Scribed by R. H. Cormane

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 965 KB
• Volume: 270
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0340-3696
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00408236

✦ Synopsis

The possible immunologic mechanisms of psoriasis have been poorly understood until recently. Investigations into the role of immunologic factors in psoriasis have been reviewed initially by Epstein (1971) and later by Braun-Falco (1971). The first mentioned author stated: "If psoriasis is to be considered an autoaggressive disease it can not be placed in the category of classical autoallergic diseases. A more subtle concept of autoaggression must be conceived to explain psoriasis and newer techniques devised to demonstrate the defect."

Other indications for an immunologic pathogenesis of psoriasis may be derived from the clinical course of the disease and the morphological appearance of some fully developed circinate psoriatic lesions. Ring-like or circinate skin lesions are encountered often in immune-mediated dermatoses like leprosy, dermatophytosis, certain varieties of dermatitis, and cutaneous lymphoma. According to the histopathologic investigations carried out by Braun-Falco and Christophers (1974) the initial psoriatic lesions show a striking resemblance to the skin reaction observed in contact allergic dermatitis. Moreover, in fully developed psoriatic lesions Munro abscesses occur, suggesting a type of Arthus reaction, which is not necessarily confined to the blood vessel wall (Cormane 1974). These findings point to the fact that in psoriasis humoral as well as cell-mediated mechanisms might be at play.