BACKGROUND: The endothelial expresson and upregulation of ICAM-1 and epidermal keratinocyte expression of ICAM-1 are well documented in psoriasis. ICAM-1 mediates the adhesion and trafficking of circulating activated skin-seeking CD45RO+ memory CD4+ T lymphocytes from the vessel into the dermis and epidermis of psoriatic skin by binding to its ligand LFA-1(lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1) expressed on lymphocyte membranes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of ICAM-1 in vascular endothelium and keratinocyte of psoriatic skin and the difference of ICAM-1 expression between early and fully developed psoriatic lesions. METHODS: We have studied the expression of ICAM-1 in twelve psoriatic patients who had not been treated for psoriatic lesions for 1 month and three normal human skin samples by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibody against ICAM-1. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining revealed anti-ICAM-1 antibody positively stained only in the subpapillary endothelial cells of normal skin. But in all psoriatic lesions studied, anti- ICAM-1 antibody was stained positively in the endothelium of papillary and subpapillary plexus, and in fully developed psoriatic lesions, anti-ICAM-1 antibody was stained focally in epidermal keratinocytes. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that ICAM-1 expression on papillary microvessels and keratinocytes may play an important role in the transendothelial and transepidermal migration of lymphocytes from the vessel into the dermis and epidermis of psoriatic skin.
Dermis ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Endothelium, Vascular* ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Keratinocytes* ; Lymphocytes ; Membranes ; Memory ; Microvessels ; Psoriasis ; Skin* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Up-Regulation

Bullous pemphigoid(BP) is a bullous disease in elderly people characterized by subepidermal bullae on erythematous and normal skin. Peripheral blood easinophilia have been reported in the patients with BP, and blood eosinophilia may be related to disease activity and severity in BP. We report a 70-year old man BP. He showed peripheral blood eosinophilia, and was treated successfully with a combination of low dose steroids & tetracycline-niacinamide(T-N) therapy. The eosinophil counts fell to normal levels as the skin lesion cleared.
Aged ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Skin ; Steroids

Pyoderma gangrenosum occuring in Behcet's disease have been rarely reported, but there are several clinical and histological similarities between Behcet's disease and pyoderma gangrenosum. We report the case of pyoderma gangrenosum occuring in Behcet's disease and describe the similarities of these diseases.
Pyoderma Gangrenosum* ; Pyoderma*