High serum levels of HIF-1 alpha in psoriatic patients correlate with an over-expression of IL-6

Angiogenesis has been considered to be an important step in the initiation and progression of chronic diseases such as psoriasis. The hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha), a critical hypoxia-induced factor that regulates angiogenesis has been shown previously to be over-expressed in psoriasis skin both at the mRNA and protein level. In this report we confirm HIF-1 alpha and IL-6 over-expression in psoriatic patients using immunoenzymometric assay and found that the expression of HIF-1 alpha is closely correlated with IL-6 expression (r = 0.61 and p = 0.005), suggesting a close interaction of HIF-1 alpha and IL-6 in the psoriasis immuno-microenvironment. Our findings merit further in vitro and in vivo work before solid suggestions can be made for therapeutic interventions that target HIF-1 alpha pathway and/or IL-6. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Increased HIF-1 alpha immunostaining in psoriasis compared to psoriasiform dermatitides

Background Expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) alpha can be linked to inflammation through reciprocal interactions with several cytokines. This finding is in accordance with the previously noted HIF-1 alpha overexpression in psoriatic lesional keratinocytes. Methods In this study we have employed a carefully selected panel of antibodies and quantitative morphometric analysis to compare HIF-1 alpha immunoreactivity in psoriatic biopsy samples vs. that in samples obtained from psoriasiform dermatitides. Results We found statistically significant HIF-1 alpha overexpression in psoriasis. Furthermore, we observed a previously unreported preferential localization of immunoreactive keratinocytes in the immediate vicinity of inflamed and elongated papillae. This pattern of immunoreactivity may partially account for the observed increase of HIF-1 alpha immunostaining in psoriasis. Conclusions Overall, our findings imply that possible novel therapeutic intervention(s) on the HIF-1 alpha pathway may offer another approach in controlling the inflammatory activity of psoriatic lesions. Ioannou M, Sourli F, Mylonis I, Barbanis S, Papamichali R, Kouvaras E, Zafiriou E, Siomou P, Klimi E, Simos G, Roussaki-Schulze A, Koukoulis G. Increased HIF-1 alpha immunostaining in psoriasis compared to psoriasiform dermatitides