Immunohistochemical investigations and their significance in diagnosis of rosacea in women

Abstract

Objective — to investigate the relationship between the level of expression of androgen/estrogen receptors (AR/ER) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and to develop a method for predicting the course of rosacea in women, providing an opportunity to predict in advance the severity of the disease and timely assign a personalized individual therapy.Materials and methods. The study selected 16 biopsies of pathologically altered skin of female patients with rosacea. Immunohistochemical study of the obtained samples was performed using primary monoclonal antibodies to VEGF, AR and ER.Results and discussion. Based on immunohistochemical studies, a significant increase in the expression of receptors to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), androgen/estrogen receptors (AR/ER) in the skin biopsy samples of rosacea patients compared with healthy skin (from p < 0.05 to p < 0.001) was revealed. VEGF vascular endothelial growth marker for rosacea informs about the level of vasculogenesis and inflammation in the epidermis and around the pilosebaceous unit. An increase in the level of AR expression in the epithelium of the glands and follicular epithelium, and the level of vasculogenesis around the pilosebaceous unit indicates the transition of rosacea from ETP to SPR and the beginning of irreversible changes in the structure and size of the sebaceous glands.Conclusions. The analysis of the levels of expression of AR and ER receptors and the level of VEGF revealed a probable relationship between certain changes and characteristics of the clinical course of rosacea in patients. The revealed correlations made it possible to develop an algorithm for predicting the progressive course of rosacea in women to choose an adequate therapeutic influence on all links of the pathogenesis. In the complex of a patient’s diagnostic examination, it is extremely important to have an effective method for predicting an individual course of rosacea in the particular patient for prescribing pathogenetically substantiated and effective therapy. This illustrates the feasibility of the further studying of the immunopathogenetic mechanisms of rosacea development and the pathogenetic role of expression of skin and vascular receptors in the formation of the inflammatory process in rosacea.