Evaluating the Role of Neurotrophins in the Psoriasis and Metabolic Syndrome Relationship

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the role of neurotrophins in relation to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and psoriasis by determining brain derived neurotrophic hormon (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL) levels in serum and skin samples of psoriasis patients and healthy controls. Methods: The BDNF, NGF, TNF-α and IL-6 levels were assessed using commercially available ELISA kits. The level of expression BDNF, NGF, TNF-α and IL-6 antibodies was determined by BDNF, NGF, TNF-α and IL-6 Antibodies. Results: Thirty nine psoriasis vulgaris patients without MetS risk factors, 21 patients with psoriasis vulgaris accompanied by MetS and 15 healthy controls were included in the study. The serum BDNF levels, epidermal and the dermal infiltration levels of BDNF were significantly higher in the control group than in the psoriasis patients (p=0.017, p=0.019, p=0.002). There was no difference between the groups in terms of serum NGF, TNF-α and IL-6 levels (p>0.05), but the infiltration level of NGF in the epidermis was higher in the psoriasis patients than the control group and statistically significant difference was found (p=0.003). Serum BDNF levels, epidermal and dermal BDNF infiltration level and the epidermal NGF staining intensity were similar among psoriasis patient groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study support the role of neurotrophins in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, serum and tissue BDNF and NGF levels remained unchanged among the psoriasis groups, suggesting that neurotrophins in the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis are related to the inflammatory process independently of the metabolic status.