Fibroblasts have been implicated in psoriatic inflammatory processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin 8 (IL-8) plasma levels in psoriatic patients and IL-6 and IL-8 levels in fibroblast culture supernatants. Cytokines levels in plasma and supernatants were measured by ELISA. Plasma sIL-2R, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were higher before the treatment in comparison to healthy controls (P < 0.001) and decreased after treatment. Fibroblasts from healthy controls, psoriatic lesional skin, and noninvolved psoriatic skin, when stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha, released considerable amounts of IL-6 and IL-8. No significant difference between healthy controls and psoriatic fibroblasts was observed. Monitoring plasma sIL-2R levels could be employed as a reliable method of psoriasis activity. IL-8 and IL-6 plasma levels seem to reflect psoriasis activity, and treatment response, respectively. Fibroblasts are not a major source of increased IL-6 and IL-8 production in psoriasis.

No abstract

No abstract

Thymosin ␤4 (T␤4), a 4.9-kDa polypeptide primarily known as a main G-actin-sequestering peptide, is present in high concentrations in various cells and in the circulation. We have found that T␤4 upregulates the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) in endothelial cells measured both at the level of mRNA and protein synthesis. This effect seems to be cell specific and was not observed when other cells such as human fibroblasts, PC3, and U937 were tested. T␤4