Histometric Assessment of Psoriatic Plaques Treated by Vitamin D₃ Derivatives

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is an immunogenetic disorder. Factor XIIIa+ dermal dendrocytes (DD) are part of the pathobiological changes in the plaque type of the disease. Objective: The present study aimed at comparing the effect of 3 vitamin D₃ derivatives on the epidermis, microvasculature and DD in psoriasis. Method: Twenty men suffering from chronic plaques of psoriasis on the trunk were enrolled in this study. They applied twice a day for 3 weeks calcipotriol, tacalcitol and calcitriol, each to one plaque. Another similar lesion received petrolatum as a placebo treatment. Skin biopsies were taken at entry and at completion of the 3-week treatment phase. Immunohistochemistry was performed using the lectin of Ulex europaeus and an antibody to factor XIIIa. Computerized image analysis served to measure the stratum Malpighii area, the microvasculature area and the DD numerical density in the papillary dermis. Results: At entry in the study, the 4 test sites were indistinguishable with regard to the stratum Malpighii area, the papillary microvasculature area and the papillary DD density. The 3 histometric parameters appeared correlated with each other. At completion of the 3-week treatment phase, the 3 vitamin D derivatives had decreased the size of the stratum Malpighii. In addition, calcitriol had also reduced the DD density in the papillary dermis. No other significant changes were yielded. Conclusion: As assessed by histometry, the psoriatic epidermis responded to a short treatment using the 3 vitamin D derivatives. The better result compared to the control site was achieved by calcitriol. DD appeared to be most controlled by the same drug. The microvasculature did not appear to be decreased at the 3-week time point in treatment.

Vitamin D and Its Role in Cancer and Immunity: A Prescription for Sunlight

“…80 Vitamin D analogs are effective treatments and are widely used as drugs for hyperproliferative skin disorders such as psoriasis, and in suppression of secondary hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid hyperplasia resulting from chronic renal insufficiency. [107][108][109] For instance, Gemini analogs have been recently found to be 100 -1000 times more potent in their antiproliferative activity than the natural hormone. Studies in mice suggest that they may be useful in the treatment of some cancers, including colon cancer.…”

A double-blind, randomized quantitative comparison of calcitriol ointment and calcipotriol ointment on epidermal cell populations, proliferation and differentiation

“…One study focusing on the effects of both topical vitamin D derivatives on cultured keratinocytes showed that both calcitriol and calcipotriol inhibited the keratinocyte proliferation, induced the cornified envelope formation and had no effect on keratin (K) 5 and K1 expression 9 . Another study reported a significant reduction in factor XIII expressing dermal dendritic cells after treatment with calcitriol, but not after treatment with calcipotriol 13 . Finally, a flow cytometric study on keratinocytes by Franssen et al 7 .…”

Smoothing the mosaic subclinical melanoderma by calcipotriol

“…Calcipotriol is a vitamin D 3 derivative active on the keratinocyte biology 8 . Its therapeutic effects have been demonstrated particularly in psoriasis 8–10 . Some in vitro effects on the human melanocyte biology have also been documented, 11–16 but its in vivo effects on the epidermal melanocyte unit 7,17 are largely unknown.…”