Serum Levels of TNF‐<i>α</i>, IFN‐<i>γ</i>, IL‐6, IL‐8,IL‐12, IL‐17, and IL‐18 in Patients With Active Psoriasis andCorrelation With Disease Severity

TLDR

Psoriasis is a T‑cell‑mediated disease in which dysregulated local and systemic cytokines contribute to pathogenesis, and its severity is commonly quantified using the PASI score. The study aimed to determine whether serum levels of selected pro‑inflammatory cytokines could serve as a simple, patient‑independent laboratory marker of psoriasis severity. Serum concentrations of TNF‑α, IFN‑γ, IL‑6, IL‑8, IL‑12, IL‑17, and IL‑18 were quantified by ELISA in patients and healthy controls. Patients with active psoriasis had significantly higher serum levels of TNF‑α, IFN‑γ, IL‑6, IL‑8, IL‑12, and IL‑18 compared with controls, and elevated IFN‑γ, IL‑12, and IL‑18 correlated positively with PASI scores, suggesting these cytokines could serve as objective severity markers.

Abstract

Recent progress in the understanding of psoriasis has shown that the regulation of local and systemic cytokines plays an important role in its pathogenesis. The most often used psoriasis score is the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). A simple laboratory test from a blood sample would be an attractive, patient‐independent, and observer‐independent marker of disease severity. To this end, we evaluated the association of serum levels of some proinflammatory cytokines in vivo and their correlation with severity of psoriasis. The serum levels of cytokines levels were determined with the use of the ELISA method. All mean values except IL‐17 levels of patients were significantly higher than those of controls. There was a significant correlation between serum levels of IFN‐ γ , IL‐12, IL‐17, and IL‐18, and severity of the disease. Psoriasis can be described as a T‐cell‐mediated disease, with a complex role for a variety of cytokines, which has led to the development of new immunomodulatory therapies. In this study, serum TNF‐ α , IFN‐ γ , IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐12, and IL‐18 levels were significantly higher in active psoriatic patients than in controls. Furthermore, high levels of IFN‐ γ , IL‐12, and IL‐18 correlated with the clinical severity and activity of psoriasis, and those measurements of serum levels of these cytokines may be objective parameters for the disease severity.