Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression correlated to inflammation

SUMMARY The presence of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on keratinocytes of psoriatic skin lesions before and during 8-methoxapsoralen and UVA light (PUVA) treatment was studied. ICAM-1 was expressed on the keratinocytes in biopsies of the skin lesions of five patients with psoriasis. The patients who responded to PUVA treatment had a concurrent reduction of ICAM-1 expression on the keratinocytes with a reduction of the number of cells in the mononuclear cellular infiltrate and a lessening of the severity of the disease. Patients who went into remission during therapy and then relapsed showed an increase in ICAM-1 expression on keratinocytes with an increase in the number of cells in the mononuclear cell infiltrate and an increase in the severity of the disease. HLA-DR expression on keratinocytes was variable during treatment and showed no strong correlation with disease severity.