Abstract: Objective To investigate the expression of IL-8 and CXCR2 on keratinocytes from psoriatic lesions and their roles on clinical and pathologic manifestations. Methods The chemotaxis of psoriatic lesional keratinocytes was detected by micropore loculus test. The concentration of IL-8 was determined in the cultured supernatants of psoriatic keratinocytes by ELISA. The expression of CXCR2 on keratinocytes from affected skin was tested by flow cytometry. Results The chemotaxis for neutrophils by the cultured supernatants of psoriatic lesional keratinocytes was significantly stronger than that by controls. The concentration of IL-8 in the cultured supernatants of psoriatic lesional keratinocytes was also increased. The expression of CXCR2 on psoriatic keratinocytes was significantly increased. Conclusions The psoriatic epidermal hyperproliferation may be correlated with up regulation of IL-8 production and CXCR2 expression on psoriatic keratinocytes. At the same time, the psoriatic inflammation may be partly related to the increase of secretion of IL-8, which has chemotactic capacity, by keratinocytes. IL-8 and CXCR2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Key words: Psoriasis, Keratinocytes, Interleukin-8, CXCR2