Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis

Background. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a protein secreted mainly by activated neutrophils, has been associated with neurodegeneration, obesity, and inflammatory responses. Serum LCN2 concentration has been reported elevated in patients with psoriasis, but lower in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Spin...

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Main Authors: Norie Aizawa, Yozo Ishiuji, Mitsutoshi Tominaga, Sanae Sakata, Nobuaki Takahashi, Koichi Yanaba, Yoshinori Umezawa, Akihiko Asahina, Utako Kimura, Yasushi Suga, Kenji Takamori, Hidemi Nakagawa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Immunology Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8171373
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author Norie Aizawa
Yozo Ishiuji
Mitsutoshi Tominaga
Sanae Sakata
Nobuaki Takahashi
Koichi Yanaba
Yoshinori Umezawa
Akihiko Asahina
Utako Kimura
Yasushi Suga
Kenji Takamori
Hidemi Nakagawa
author_facet Norie Aizawa
Yozo Ishiuji
Mitsutoshi Tominaga
Sanae Sakata
Nobuaki Takahashi
Koichi Yanaba
Yoshinori Umezawa
Akihiko Asahina
Utako Kimura
Yasushi Suga
Kenji Takamori
Hidemi Nakagawa
author_sort Norie Aizawa
collection DOAJ
description Background. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a protein secreted mainly by activated neutrophils, has been associated with neurodegeneration, obesity, and inflammatory responses. Serum LCN2 concentration has been reported elevated in patients with psoriasis, but lower in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Spinal astrocyte-derived LCN2 was found to be involved in enhancement of itch in a mouse model of AD. However, the relationship between LCN2 and itch in patients with psoriasis has not been determined. Objective. This study examined the correlation between serum LCN2 levels and the degrees of itch in patients with psoriasis. Methods. Serum LCN2 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in patients with psoriasis and AD and in healthy controls. The degree of itch was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and disease severity was determined by measuring psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD). Correlations among serum LCN2 level, VAS, PASI, and SCORAD were analyzed statistically. We further examined the serum LCN levels in psoriasis patients before and after biological treatment. Results. Serum LCN2 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with psoriasis and AD than those in healthy controls. In patients with psoriasis, serum LCN2 concentrations were significantly correlated with VAS, but not with PASI. In contrast, serum LCN2 concentrations did not correlate with VAS or SCORAD in patients with AD. Serum LCN2 levels in psoriasis patients significantly decreased after the biological treatment along with improvement of VAS. Conclusion. Serum LCN2 concentration is associated with the degree of itch in patients with psoriasis, suggesting that serum LCN2 may be a useful clinical marker for itch in psoriasis.
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spelling doaj-art-ed1fba1b89aa4af09631f565295dd5be2025-08-20T02:22:09ZengWileyJournal of Immunology Research2314-88612314-71562019-01-01201910.1155/2019/81713738171373Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with PsoriasisNorie Aizawa0Yozo Ishiuji1Mitsutoshi Tominaga2Sanae Sakata3Nobuaki Takahashi4Koichi Yanaba5Yoshinori Umezawa6Akihiko Asahina7Utako Kimura8Yasushi Suga9Kenji Takamori10Hidemi Nakagawa11Department of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanInstitute for Environmental and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0021, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanInstitute for Environmental and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0021, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0021, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0021, JapanInstitute for Environmental and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0021, JapanDepartment of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, JapanBackground. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a protein secreted mainly by activated neutrophils, has been associated with neurodegeneration, obesity, and inflammatory responses. Serum LCN2 concentration has been reported elevated in patients with psoriasis, but lower in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Spinal astrocyte-derived LCN2 was found to be involved in enhancement of itch in a mouse model of AD. However, the relationship between LCN2 and itch in patients with psoriasis has not been determined. Objective. This study examined the correlation between serum LCN2 levels and the degrees of itch in patients with psoriasis. Methods. Serum LCN2 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in patients with psoriasis and AD and in healthy controls. The degree of itch was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and disease severity was determined by measuring psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD). Correlations among serum LCN2 level, VAS, PASI, and SCORAD were analyzed statistically. We further examined the serum LCN levels in psoriasis patients before and after biological treatment. Results. Serum LCN2 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with psoriasis and AD than those in healthy controls. In patients with psoriasis, serum LCN2 concentrations were significantly correlated with VAS, but not with PASI. In contrast, serum LCN2 concentrations did not correlate with VAS or SCORAD in patients with AD. Serum LCN2 levels in psoriasis patients significantly decreased after the biological treatment along with improvement of VAS. Conclusion. Serum LCN2 concentration is associated with the degree of itch in patients with psoriasis, suggesting that serum LCN2 may be a useful clinical marker for itch in psoriasis.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8171373
spellingShingle Norie Aizawa
Yozo Ishiuji
Mitsutoshi Tominaga
Sanae Sakata
Nobuaki Takahashi
Koichi Yanaba
Yoshinori Umezawa
Akihiko Asahina
Utako Kimura
Yasushi Suga
Kenji Takamori
Hidemi Nakagawa
Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis
Journal of Immunology Research
title Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis
title_full Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis
title_fullStr Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis
title_short Relationship between the Degrees of Itch and Serum Lipocalin-2 Levels in Patients with Psoriasis
title_sort relationship between the degrees of itch and serum lipocalin 2 levels in patients with psoriasis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8171373
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