Epidermal expression of 65 and 72 kd heat shock proteins in psoriasis and AIDS-associated psoriasiform dermatitis.

BACKGROUND

Psoriasiform dermatitis is common in patients with AIDS. The expression of heat shock proteins by keratinocytes has been postulated to be a significant factor in the physiopathology of psoriasis and might be subject to modulation in HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to evaluate the epidermal expression of 65 and 72 kd heat shock proteins (HSPs) in lesions of AIDS-associated psoriasiform dermatitis (AIDS-PD) and compare it with that in psoriasis vulgaris and seborrheic dermatitis in patients not infected with HIV.

METHODS

Sections from paraffin-embedded blocks of biopsy specimens of AIDS-PD (eight cases), psoriasis vulgaris (eight cases), seborrheic dermatitis (four cases), and normal skin (four cases) in non-HIV-infected patients were immunohistochemically stained by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method and two monoclonal antibodies directed against the major 65 kd HSP antigen (HSP65) and against 70/72 kd HSP. The intensity, distribution, and cellular pattern of the epidermal stain were graded and assessed blindly.

RESULTS

The epidermal expression of HSP65 in biopsy specimens from AIDS-PD lesions was irregular, with less intensity and less tendency to perinuclear arrangement than in psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis not associated with AIDS. The expression of HSP72 was also less intense and more uniform in AIDS-PD.

CONCLUSION

The altered interplay of T cells and keratinocytes in a situation of immune derangement such as AIDS might account for the differences observed in the expression of HSP65 and HSP72 by keratinocytes in psoriasis and AIDS-PD.