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Autoimmune (Immune) Psoriasis Theory is one of the most recognized Psoriasis Theories.
Immune System Disorders
The Immune System is a sum total of cells and organs which protect the body from foreign invaders (i.e. infections etc.) The main organs of the Immune System include: thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. The main cells of the Immune System include antibodies (defense proteins) and lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells) - NK-lymphocytes (NK-cells), B-lymphocytes (B-cells), and T-lymphocytes (T-cells).
The Immune System recognizes an invader and gets rid of it with the aid of lymphocytes and antibodies.
Normally the Immune System can tell the difference between the body proteins itself and the foreign proteins of bacteria or viruses. But sometimes the body's own proteins are recognized as foreign. In this case the Immune System starts attacking and tries to kill the body's own cells. This is known as an Autoimmune Agression, Autoimmune Response or an Autoimmune Disorder.
Immune Disorders and Psoriasis
According to the Immune Psoriasis Theory the immune disorders are the driving force in the development of psoriasis. Psoriasis can be defined as general immune-dependent dermatitis. According to the Immune Psoriasis Theory the following occurs: autoimmune aggression directed at epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) results in the Psoriasis Appearance.
Certain antigens (foreign substances that can stimulate an immune response in the body) were discovered in the psoriatic lesions, while in the blood there were revealed their antibodies (defense proteins that bind to antigens in an attempt to neutralize them) in the people with psoriasis. These antigens and antibodies are absent in the skin and blood of people without psoriasis. This gives grounds to consider psoriasis to be connected with the autoimmune mechanisms.
D.U.M.Hung et al (1993, 1995) considered that psoriasis may "be started" by a superantigen (antigen that binds to and activates T cells), for example by the toxins secreted by some microbial staphylococci and streptococci.
Superantigens can trigger the activation of the HLA-DR (Human class II histocompatibility antigen), the penetration of the activated T-lymphocytes (defender cells), monocytes and macrophages (microbe-eating and killing cells in the blood) into the epidermis from the derma in the patients with psoriasis, resulting in an inflammation.
The above will also lead to the expression of cytokines (messengers released by T-cells that mobilize other cells and organs of the immune system), which may cause an abnormal rapid repeated production of new epidermal skin cells.
All of the above indicates the presence of an immune disorder.
Epidermal hyper-proliferation (abnormal rapid repeated production of new epidermal skin cells) is the key element of psoriasis pathology and therefore the detection of its driving force is extremely important.
Some scientists revealed an increase in the Circulating Immune Complexes (CIC) in the blood of the patients with psoriasis. There is noted a close interrelation between the Circulating Immune Complexes and psoriasis. Pathogenic role of the Circulating Immune Complexes with psoriasis seems to belong to the antibodies (defense proteins that bind to antigen in an attempt to neutralize it) of the IgG and IgA classes, which form small Circulating Immune Complexes in response to certain antigens (foreign substances that can stimulate an immune response in the body). One of such antigens might be b-microglobulin, revealed in the Circulating Immune Complexes sediment.
Immune mechanisms without any doubt play a significant role in the development of psoriasis. However, the immune reactions develop in the body as a whole; therefore it is necessary to consider the sum of all factors - i.e. the genetic factors, metabolism disorders etc. in regards to the Autoimmune (Immune) Psoriasis Theory.
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