Profiles of activated T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of Kuwaiti psoriasis vulgaris patients.

We have previously reported unexpected immunological features of psoriasis among Kuwaitis, suggesting novel patterns of immune reactivity contributing to the disease. To better define this phenomenon, we herein describe profiles of major populations and immunologically activated subsets of peripheral blood lymphocytes in a cohort of Kuwaiti psoriasis vulgaris patients. Whole venous blood from fifteen psoriatic and twenty eight normal, healthy subjects was analyzed by 2-color flow cytometry for levels of major lymphocyte species and their immunologically activated subsets. When compared to normal subjects, psoriatic blood contained lower cell densities of CD2+, CD8+ (p=0.002 respectively) and B lymphocytes (CD19+) (p=0.003), with a trend toward a lower CD4+ density (p=0.072). Within each major lymphocyte population, activated lymphocytes were present at higher percentages in psoriatic than in healthy blood. These included CD4+ HLA-DR+ (p=0.002), CD4+CD25+ (p=0.043), CD4+CD54+ (p=0.005), CD8+CD25+ (p=0.015), CD8+ HLA-DR+ (p=0.046) and CD3+CD16+CD56+ (p=0.023) Additionally, psoriatic patients were found to have an expanded ratio of memory to naive T cells (CD45RO+CD45RA+) relative to control subjects; this was expected on the basis of increased immune activation. Our findings are consistent with a picture of psoriasis as a disease mediated by activated lymphocytes.