The effect of PUVA and NB UVB phototherapy on serum Osteopontin in psoriatic patients

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs in about 0.1% - 3% of the population. It is characterized by an immune-related pathogenesis, a genetic background which may be triggered by several environmental factors including smoking and infections leading to a T cell-mediated cytokine production that drives hyper proliferation and abnormal differentiation of keratinocytes. Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional glycopho-sphoprotein secreted by many cell types, including osteoblasts, lymphocytes, macrophages, epithelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. It has been demonstrated that OPN modulates inflammatory processes involved in psoriasis, which is the most prevalent T-cell mediated inflammatory disease in humans through its action as chemotactic factor, supporting the adhesion and modulating the function of T cells and monocytes/macrophages.