Characterization of the dermal infiltrate in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with psoriasis

We investigated the dermal inflammatory cell infiltrates of psoriatic lesions from nine human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients and nine age-, sex-, and site-matched control specimens. The study was retrospective and observer blinded. T lymphocytes were quantitated using UCHL-1, a pan-T-cell monoclonal antibody, and plasma cell number was estimated in hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections. Differences in both variables reached statistical significance. There were fewer T cells and the number of plasma cells was significantly higher in specimens from the human immunodeficiency virus-positive individuals in comparison with control specimens. As plasma cells are readily identified on hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections, their presence in skin biopsy specimens from psoriatic leisons should arouse suspicion of human immunodeficiency virus infection. The depletion of helper/inducer T lymphocytes by the human immunodeficiency virus may promote the presence of plasma cells in cutaneous inflammatory infiltrates.