Morphological relationship between nerve fibers and Langerhans cells in the epidermis of psoriasis vulgaris and lichen simplex chronicus

It is generally accepted that skin is a target organ of the stress reaction [ 1 Arck P.C. Slominski A. Theoharides T.C. Peters E.M. Paus R. Neuroimmunology of stress: skin takes center stage. J Invest Dermatol. 2006; 126: 1697-1704 Crossref PubMed Scopus (352) Google Scholar , 2 Roosterman D. Goerge T. Schneider S.W. Bunnett N.W. Steinhoff M. Neuronal control of skin function: the skin as a neuroimmunoendocrine organ. Physiol Rev. 2006; 86: 1309-1379 Crossref PubMed Scopus (484) Google Scholar ]. There is a close correlation between psoriasis vulgaris (PV), lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) and certain psychoneural factors. Both PV and LSC are associated with psychologic disorders and can be aggravated by anxiety or depression. Quantitative analysis of nerve fibers in the lesions of PV provides morphological evidence for the functional role of nervous system in PV [ [3] Naukkarinen A. Nickoloff B.J. Farber E.M. Quantification of cutaneous sensory nerves and their substance P content in psoriasis. J Invest Dermatol. 1989; 92: 126-129 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar ]. However, quantitative analysis of nerve fibers in the lesions of LSC and morphological relationship between nerve fibers and LCs in the lesions of PV and LSC have not been reported.