Cell kinetic basis for pathophysiology of psoriasis

Abstract

Studies on the cell proliferation kinetics of psoriatic epidermal cells are presented and the results compared to similar studies for normal epidermis. The short 36-h duration of the psoriatic cell cycle (T(c)) is confirmed with the first double-peaked fraction of labeled mitoses (FLM) curve in human subjects. The growth fraction of psoriasis using two experimental techniques approximates 100% within 36 h, confirming the rapid T(c) found by the FLM method. The cell kinetic basis for the pathophysiology of psoriasis consists of at least 3 proliferative abnormalities in comparison to normal epidermis. By far the largest alteration is the shortening of the T(c) from 311 to 36 h. There is also a doubling of the proliferative cell population in psoriasis from 27,000 to 52,000 cells/mm and an increase in the growth fraction from 60% to 100%. As a consequence of these abnormalities the psoriatic epidermis produces 35,000 cells/day from a proliferative compartment of 52,000 cells/mm2 surface area. This is a 28-fold greater production of cells than the 1,246 cells/day produced in normal epidermis. The biochemical or control factors leading to these kinetic differences continue to remain elusive.