Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes due to interplay between
keratinocytes and immune cells. Iron status plays an important role in modifying the function of the immune system. Heme
oxygenase (HO), heme-degrading enzyme, plays important role in protective response to oxidative cellular stress. We
aimed in this study to map the iron status and HO levels and declare the role HO enzyme in iron homeostasis and immunemodulation
in psoriasis. Fifty-one patients with psoriasis and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in
this study. 5 mL blood sample was withdrawn from each subject. Hepcidin, iron soluble transferring receptor (sTfR), and
total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were estimated using ELISA technique and, HO-1 gene level was detected using RT-PCR
(reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction). Iron levels, TIBC, and hepcidin were significantly lower in cases compared
to controls. On the contrary, sTfR and HO-1 were significantly over-expressed in cases compared to controls (p < 0.05
in all). HO-1 expression negatively correlated with PASI score and disease extent (%) (r = − 0.614-, p = 0.001; r = − 0.807-,
p = 0.001 respectively). There were no significant associations between HO-1 expression and iron, TIBC, hepcidin, sTfR levels
(p > 0.05 in all). Iron supplements for the patients with psoriasis are important to maintain haematopoiesis. The induction
of HO-1 might have be a promising approach for the treatment of psoriasis through antioxidant ability, immunomodulatory
role as well as its role in heme synthesis. |
