Wu Hui-Hui, Xie Wen-Lin, Zhao Yu-Kun, Liu Juan-Hua, Luo Di-Qing
Department of Dermatology, The Eastern Hospital of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 183 Huangpu Rd. E., Guangzhou 510700, China.
Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2016;14(3):275-9. doi: 10.2174/1570161114666160106151837.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease of unknown aetiology but increasing evidence suggests that cutaneous angiogenesis plays an important role. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the pro-angiogenic cytokines which is related to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Our study evaluated the influence of imiquimod (IMQ) on VEGF in IMQ-induced mouse model. Balb/c female mice (n=16) 8-12 weeks of age were randomly divided into an experimental group (5% IMQ cream) and the control group (Vaseline cream). Serum levels of circulating VEGF-A were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. VEGF protein expression in tested skin was measured by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. The tested skin in the experimental group expressed higher levels of VEGF protein than in the control group (p=0.012); immunohistochemical staining revealed that the cells over-expressing VEGF localized predominantly in the epidermis and vascular endothelium. Circulating VEGF-A levels showed no significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p=0.445). The IMQ-induced mouse psoriatic model showed an upregulation of VEGF in the skin lesions mimicking human psoriasis but the circulating VEGF-A levels showed no difference. This model may be useful to investigate the role of angiogenesis in psoriasis.
银屑病是一种病因不明的慢性皮肤病，但越来越多的证据表明皮肤血管生成起着重要作用。血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）是与银屑病发病机制相关的促血管生成细胞因子之一。我们的研究评估了咪喹莫特（IMQ）对IMQ诱导的小鼠模型中VEGF的影响。将8至12周龄的Balb/c雌性小鼠（n = 16）随机分为实验组（5%咪喹莫特乳膏）和对照组（凡士林乳膏）。通过酶联免疫吸附测定法定量循环VEGF-A的血清水平。通过蛋白质印迹法和免疫组织化学染色测量受试皮肤中VEGF蛋白的表达。实验组受试皮肤中VEGF蛋白表达水平高于对照组（p = 0.012）；免疫组织化学染色显示，过表达VEGF的细胞主要定位于表皮和血管内皮。实验组和对照组之间循环VEGF-A水平无显著差异（p = 0.445）。IMQ诱导的小鼠银屑病模型显示，模仿人类银屑病的皮肤病变中VEGF上调，但循环VEGF-A水平无差异。该模型可能有助于研究血管生成在银屑病中的作用。
