Psoriasis takes several forms:
scaly, red patches of skin. Plaque Psoriasis has patches, which appear on the
trunk and limbs, especially on the elbows, knees and the scalp; Pustural
Psoriasis has small pustules spread over the body; and Guttate Psoriasis,
usually in children, is characterized by tear-drop shaped lesions, which usually
follow a sore throat. Treatment can reduce scaling and inflammation and
sometimes clear up skin lesions. Physicians can prescribe ointments, vitamins,
light therapy and other drugs. This unpredictable disease which affects men and
women equally and strikes people of all ages, can erupt anywhere on the body.
Psoriasis lesions form when new skin cells are produced at a rapid rate.
ABOVE you can see, the skin cell on the right has company. Another cell
has attached (cloned itself) to the skin cell. Once the invading cell attaches
to the normal skin cell, this fusion results in dysfunction of normal skin
production. Every cell and organ in our body gives a discrete fingerprint to the
immune system. You might say this is a signal to the immune system that all is
functioning well. If an incorrect fingerprint is detected from a cell or organ,
the immune system then takes the necessary action to deal with the invader (It
assumes).
In the above cell photo, we have a slightly different
situation. The invading cell (normally recognized as a "good guy" by the immune
system) has become part of the skin cell. Due to the characteristics of the
cloning cell, the immune system does not recognize this cell as being an
invader. These normal cells are free to travel throughout your body without any
intervention from the immune system. This is why PSORIASIS can and does break
out anywhere on the body. In addition, this cell has now become part of another
recognized cell, your skin cell. Therefore, the immune system has no choice but
to deal with the cells emitting the incorrect finger prints, your skin
cells.
Thus,we have the AUTO-IMMUNE RESPONSE which is related to or
caused by abnormal antibodies produced against the body's own tissue. The body's
immune systems now attacks and destroys tissue. This occurrence is a result of
the cells emitting the incorrect fingerprint.
The immunological mechanism
of the body is dependent on two major factors: (1) the inactivation and
rejection of foreign substances and (2) the ability to differentiate between the
body's own material (self) and that which is foreign
(non-self).
Auto-immune disease can be viewed as a spectrum of disorders.
At one end are organ-specific diseases, in which there is localized tissue
damage resulting from the presence of specific auto-antibodies. An example is
Hashimoto's disease of the thyroid gland with infiltration by mononuclear cells,
destruction of follicular cells, and production of antibodies with absolute
specificity for certain thyroid constituents.
In the middle of the
spectrum are disorders in which the lesion tends to be localized in one organ,
but the antibodies are non-organ specific. An example is primary biliary
cirrhosis in which there is inflammatory cell infiltration of the small bile
ductule, but the serum antibodies are not specific to liver cells.
At the
other end of the spectrum are non-organ specific diseases, in which lesions and
antibodies are widespread throughout the body and not limited to one target
organ - Psoriasis. Another example of non-organ specific diseases is Systemic
Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In the early 1970's, researchers using
fluorescent-labeling techniques were able to identify an anti-nuclear antibody
(ANA) in the diseased tissue of the kidneys of patients with SLE. The
anti-nuclear antibodies attack the nucleic acids DNA and RNA and other
components of the body's own cells. Identification of ANA in Systemic Lupus
Erythematosus victims established once and for all the existence of auto-immune
disease.
Other diseases involving auto-immune mechanisms include
rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, auto-immune
hemolytic anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and postviral
encephalomyelitis. In general, auto-immune diseases are treated by the
administration of corticosteroids and salicylates. These medications produce an
anti-inflammatory effect and provide symptomatic relief only.
