Objective: This study investigated the clinical significance of expression of caveolin-1--a plasma membrane protein involved in caveola formation, endocytosis, signal transduction and angiogenesis--in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris.
Methods: A total of 20 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 20 healthy volunteers were recruited. The expressions of caveolin-1, Ki-67 (marker of cell proliferation) and CD34 (marker of angiogenesis) in skin biopsies were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the level of caveolin-1 protein was quantified by Western blotting. Clinical severity was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. Correlations between caveolin-1 expression and psoriasis severity, cell proliferation and angiogenesis were analysed using the Spearman rank correlation test.
Results: Expression of caveolin-1 was significantly lower in psoriasis samples than in healthy skin samples. In psoriasis lesions, the level of caveolin-1 expression was inversely correlated with the severity of psoriasis, cell proliferation and angiogenesis.
Conclusions: The level of caveolin-1 expression seems to be related to the clinical severity of psoriasis, and may play a role in the abnormal keratinocyte hyperplasia and angiogenesis seen in this condition.