Alefacept-induced decreases in circulating blood lymphocyte counts correlate with clinical response in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by keratinocyte hyperproliferation in the epidermis and recruitment of inflammatory cells in the dermis [1]. The deleterious role of T-cell - mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of psoriasis has been suspected on the basis of in situ studies showing that psoriatic lesions are infiltrated by type 1 helper T cells (CD4+) and type 1 cytotoxic T cells [...]