INCREASED SUPEROXIDE GENERATION BY NORMAL GRANULOCYTES INCUBATED IN SERA FROM PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS

[摘要] Sera from patients with untreated psoriasis induced increased superoxide anion .**GRAPHIC**. generation when incubated with normal granulocytes (PMN [polymorphonuclear leukocytes]) and zymosan. Sera from patients receiving systemic chemotherapy induced .**GRAPHIC**. generation which was similar to that of normal sera and significantly lower than sera from the untreated patients. .**GRAPHIC**. production was measured by superoxide dismutase inhibitable ferricytochrome C reduction and was dependent on the presence of both zymosan and a heat labile serum factor. Serum C3c [c fragment of complement component 3] and C5 levels were elevated in both treated and untreated groups of psoriasis patients; C4 was elevated only in untreated patients. Serum ceruloplasmin, a .**GRAPHIC**. scavenger, was not decreased in patients with psoriasis, and consequently does not account for the increased .**GRAPHIC**. generation. Sera from patients with psoriasis probably have an increased capacity to activate PMN. Activation of PMN in cutaneous and joint lesions may play a pathogenic role in psoriasis.