Differential expression of cyclin D1, Ki-67, pRb, and p53 in psoriatic skin lesions and normal skin

Psoriasis is a hyperproliferative inflammatory skin disease; therefore, it is highly likely that psoriatic skin lesions may transform into malignancies. However, malignant transformation is not common. We performed immunohistochemical studies using anti-cyclin D1, anti-cyclin E, anti-pRb, anti-p53, anti-p16INK4a, and anti-Ki-67 antibodies in normal skin, psoriatic epidermal tissue, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissue. Furthermore, western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining were performed to ascertain differences in cyclin D1, cyclin E, pRb, and Ki-67 expression before and after treatment for psoriasis. Cyclin D1 expression was higher in chronic psoriatic lesions than that in normal epidermis. Psoriasis lesions showed a strong intensity of positive nuclear staining for cyclin D1 among several normally stained nuclei in the basal layer. Cyclin E expression in psoriasis was stronger in the granular and spinous layer than in the normal epidermis. Expression levels of pRb and p53 were found to be higher in the psoriasis group compared with the normal epidermis. Total basal layer cell counts for p53(WT) expression were found to be significantly higher in the psoriasis group compared with the normal group. However, p16 expression was very weak in the normal and psoriasis groups compared with that in the SCC group. Ki-67 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in psoriasis compared with normal epidermis and was similar with that in the SCC group. According to immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis, the expression levels of cyclin D1, cyclin E, pRb, and Ki-67 in psoriasis lesions decreased after treatment and were similar with those in the normal group. Thus, increased expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E may be involved in cell cycle progression in psoriatic epidermis, and pRb and p53 may play important roles in the prevention of malignant transformation under the hyperproliferative state in psoriasis.