Method of treating psoriasis using anti-gamma interferon antibody

Abstract

Methods and compositions are provided for the creation and screening of non-human animal models having many of the histologic characteristics of human psoriasis. Immunocompromised host animals are injected with a purified population of CD45Rb positive cells, which are tolerant of the host major histocompatibility antigens, but are mismatched at one or more minor antigens. The injected cells are stimulated with a pro-inflammatory cytokine, e.g. IL-12, and a polyclonal activating agent. The injected animals develop a chronic skin disorder that includes histological features observed in human psoriasis, e.g. rete pegs, severe acanthosis and infiltration of Th1 cells into the dermis.

Description

[0001] Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease, characterized by scaling and inflammation. Psoriasis affects 1.5 to 2 percent of the United States population, or almost 5 million people. It occurs in all age groups and about equally in men and women. People with psoriasis suffer discomfort, restricted motion of joints, and emotional distress. When psoriasis develops, patches of skin thicken, redden, and become covered with silvery scales, referred to as plaques. Psoriasis most often occurs on the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet. The disease also may affect the fingernails, toenails, and the soft tissues inside the mouth and genitalia. About 10 percent of people with psoriasis have joint inflammation that produces symptoms of arthritis.[0002] When skin is wounded, a wound healing program is triggered, also known as regenerative maturation. Lesional psoriasis is characterized by cell growth in this alternate growth program. In many ways, psoriatic skin...

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This model, however, lacked certain distinctive histological hallmarks of the human disease and included some characteristics that are absent from human patients with psoriasis, Nickoloff et al.

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