The significance of endocan immunohistochemical expression in chronic plaque psoriasis

Abstract

Background Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with immune‐mediated mechanism. Endocan is a soluble dermatan sulfate proteoglycan expressed by endothelium of blood vessels. Aims The present study aims to evaluate immunohistochemical localization of endocan in psoriatic skin in comparison with normal skin and to correlate its expression with the clinical and pathological data of psoriasis. Patients/Methods Skin biopsies from 36 psoriatic patients and 40 normal subjects were taken and processed for immunohistochemical staining of endocan. Results Endocan was expressed in 63.9% and in 36.1% of epidermal keratinocytes and dermal endothelial and inflammatory cells of psoriatic skin, respectively, compared with its expression in 30% of epidermis of normal skin. Diffuse epidermal expression of endocan was in favor of cases with more angiogenesis and its intense expression was in favor of marked acanthosis and with cases affecting trunk as main presentation. Positive dermal endocan expression was significantly associated with marked parakeratosis and with more angiogenesis. Conclusion Endocan is over‐expressed in psoriatic skin from epidermal keratinocytes and dermal endothelial and inflammatory cells. Endocan enhances angiogenesis and proliferation of psoriatic skin contributing to pathogenic mechanisms of psoriasis.

Inflammation and Psoriasis: A Comprehensive Review

“…Histopathological and immunohistochemistry analysis may be a useful tool for decoding physiopathological mechanisms in psoriasis, such as the recruitment of circulating lymphocytes to inflammatory sites and their Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen 1 (LFA-1) dependent adhesion stimulated by endocan [54]. The cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells and Natural Killer (NK) cells has also been found to be mediated by the perforin/granzyme pathway, explaining why perforin expression is upregulated in activated CD8+ T cells, which are abundantly expressed in the epidermis of psoriasis plaques [55].…”

Oxidative Stress Induced by High Salt Diet—Possible Implications for Development and Clinical Manifestation of Cutaneous Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction in Psoriasis vulgaris

“…Few studies examined available biomarkers of endothelial function in psoriasis patients, and the results obtained were in line with the findings of functional vascular studies. Abdou et al reported that psoriatic skin exhibited over-expression of endocan (a proteoglycan expressed by endothelial cells), reflecting the ongoing endothelial activation and neovascularization [ 211 ]. Similarly, Balta et al reported increased level of circulating endocan in psoriasis patients, which also correlated with PASI, hsCRP and cIMT [ 212 ].…”