Introduction

Psoriasis is a inflammatory illness, where incorrect expression of cytokines and bacteria lipopolysaccharide are observed. In the therapy of moderate to severe psoriasis anti-TNF drugs, i.e. adalimumab are used which have the influence for secreting another cytokines, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β).

Aim

The goal of this study was to analyse the expression profile of mRNA TGF-β1-3 and proteins (TGF-β1 and TGF-β2) it codes in normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (induction of inflammation) and adalimumab (anti-TNF drug).

Material and methods

NHDFs treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide at a medium concentration of 1 µg/ml for 8 h, and then added to an adalimumab culture at a concentration of 8 µg/ml and continued exposure of the fibroblasts to it for 2, 8 and 24 h. The molecular analysis included microarray, RTqPCR and ELISA assays.

Results

Treating the skin fibroblast cells with LPS resulted in significant statistical changes in the expression of TGF-β1 (­) and TGF-β2 (Ż) in comparison to the control culture. Likewise, after adding adalimumab to the culture of NHDF treated previously with LPS, significant changes in the expression of TGF-β1 (­) and TGF-β2 (Ż) were noted in comparison to the control culture (p < 0.05). On the protein level it can be determined that LPS and adalimumab cause an increase in the concentration of TGF-β1 and a decrease in the expression of TGF-β2 in comparison to the control culture.

Conclusions

Blocking the signalling dependant on TNF-α using adalimumab causes an increase in the expression of TGF-β1 and a simultaneous decrease in the case of TGF-β2.