Background
Pityriasis rosea (PR) is an acute, self-limiting papulosquamous skin disease. T-helper lymphocytes play an important role in the pathogenesis of PR. However, the role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes is poorly understood.
Objective
To investigate the immune profile of mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate in skin lesions with PR
Methods
The study included l 0 biopsy specimens from lesional skin with clinical diagnosis of PR . Ten biopsy specimens from normal skin served as a control. Monoclonal antibodies were used for targeting antigenic epitopes on several cell types including: CD3 (for T-cells), CD2o (for B-cells), CD68 (for macrophage/dendritic cells), and Granzyme B (Gr B) (for active cytotoxic T-cells).
Results
Levels of CD3 +ve, CD68 and Gr B were significantly higher in lesional skin as compared to normal skin (p<0.05). CD3 +ve cells was the predominant cell population in lesional
Conclusion
The finding of significantly increased numbers of CD3 +ve cells in skin lesions with PR indicates an important role of cell mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of the disease. A significantly increased number of Gr B +ve cells in all lesions suggested that a fraction of CD3 +ve cells have an active cytotoxic potential.