OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between the pathogenesis of psoriasis patients of blood heat syndrome (BHS) and blood stasis syndrome (BSS) and peripheral blood Th1/Th2 cells axis drift, and to observe different expressions of peripheral blood Th1/Th2 cells between healthy subjects and psoriasis patients of BHS and BSS.

METHODSThere were 15 patients in the BHS group and 15 in the BSS group. There were 16 patients in the healthy control group. The expressions of CD4+ gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were measured by flow cytometry (FACS). The Th1 main cytokines such as IFN-gamma and Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 in the serum of psoriasis patients of different syndromes were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score (PASI) were conducted.

RESULTSFACS results showed that the expression level of CD4+ IFN-gamma+ in the PBMCs was significantly higher in the BHS group than in the BSS group and the healthy control group (P < 0.05). Besides, it was positively correlated with the PASI (P < 0.05). ELISA results showed that the peripheral serum level of IFN-gamma was significantly higher in the BHS group than in the BSS group and the healthy control group (P < 0.05). The plasma level of IFN-gamma was positively correlated with the PASI score in the BHS group (P < 0.05). The plasma level of IFN-gamma was negatively correlated with the PASI score in the BSS group (P < 0.05). The peripheral serum level of IL-4 was significantly lower in the BHS group than in the BSS group and the healthy control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPeripheral Th1 cells had dominant state in psoriasis patients of BHS. When psoriasis patients of BHS were transformed to BSS or to the normal level, the expression of peripheral blood Th1 cells decreased.