HEXADECANE-INDUCED HYPERKERATINIZATION OF GUINEA PIG SKIN .2. ARGINASE ACTIVITY IN NORMAL AND HEXADECANE-TREATED EPIDERMIS

[摘要] Topical application of hexadecane to the skin of guinea pigs resulted in a marked hyperkeratotic response of the treated skin. Maximum response was noted in 9-12 days after treatment. The arginase activity of control and hexadecane-treated epidermis was followed for a 3 week period following hexadecane application. Many-fold increases in arginase activity were found to parallel development of hyperkera-tosis. The enzyme activity appeared to be associated with the highly keratinized layers of the epidermis. A higher percentage of the total arginase activity was extractable from control tissue than from hyperkeratotic tissue. Arginase from control epidermis showed a greater response to manganous ion activation than the enzyme from hyperkeratotic tissue.