alcian-blue and Psoriasis

In children suffering from chronic dermatoses (psoriasis and neurodermatitis), the glycocalix of blood mononuclears displays an Alcian blue dye sorption by 23-25% less than that in healthy children. The UV irradiation of their blood (254 nm), in addition to a course of UV-irradiated blood autotransfusion, resulted in an elevated sorption capacity of the mononuclear glycocalix up to the normal. A possible involvement of these changes in immunocompetent cell glycocalix in the pathogenesis of chronic dermatoses is discussed, as well as the significance of glycocalix normalization in the medicinal effect of UV-irradiated blood autotransfusion.

Topics: Absorption; Adolescent; Alcian Blue; Blood Transfusion, Autologous; Child; Chronic Disease; Combined Modality Therapy; Glycoproteins; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Neurodermatitis; Polysaccharides; Psoriasis; Skin Diseases; Surface Properties; Ultraviolet Therapy

Acid mucopolysaccharides have been studied in the dermis of 40 cases of incipient psoriasis. In the upper dermis a marked reduction of the material stained with colloidal iron and with Alcian blue solutions containing 0.1 and 0.2 M MgCl2 was observed; enzymatic controls with hyaluronidase support the idea that this material consists mainly of hyaluronic acid. The intensity and the extension of this dermal alteration far beyond the limits of the above-mentioned epidermal alteration give credence to the hypothesis that in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, dermal alterations are of a primitive character.

Topics: Alcian Blue; Colloids; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Iron; Psoriasis; Skin; Staining and Labeling

30 cases of initial psoriasis were studied. Pinhead-sized lesions, recently appeared, were excised and studied with histochemical methods for acid mucopolysaccharides. In all specimens a well defined reduction of the material stained with colloidal iron, with alcian blue with critical electrolyte concentrations and with toluidine blue was observed in the upper dermis, in particular in the papillary dermis in the center of the lesions, in correspondence of the squirting papillae. The more evident reduction of the staining with alcian blue with 0.1 M and 0.2 M MgCl2 suggests that the changes of the dermal ground substance are predominantly due to an alteration of the hyaluronic acid.

Topics: Alcian Blue; Colloids; Eosine Yellowish-(YS); Glycosaminoglycans; Hemolysin Proteins; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Iron; Psoriasis; Skin; Staining and Labeling

Lanthanum has been used as a tracer for the intercellular space and the surface coats in different epithelia including human epidermis, however, lanthanum compounds may or may not penetrate into skin specimes and reaction product may or may not be present in the intercellular space. After treatment with alcian blue prior exposure to lanthanum the trilaminar plasma membrane was more regularly stained and a thin coat of reaction product corresponding to superficial glycoconjugates outlined the cell surface and filled the narrow intercellular space in normal epidermis. In psoriatic epidermis the quantity of superficial membrane-bound glycoconjugates was rather reduced, their distribution and compartmentalization was profoundly changed and the outer leaflet of the trilaminar plasma membrane was not always clearly seen, having a "moth-eaten appearance" in some places. These findings show once more that alterations of the cell membranes and their surface architecture are present in psoriasis. They may play a major role in the pathogenesis of the disease, influencing the activities of membrane-bound enzymes and the flow of the epidermal growth control mechanism. The glycocalyx may serve in this mechanism as an accumulator of energy rich compounds or as a receptor site of membrane-bound ezymes. According to our views it represents a "ground substance" of epidermal origin, which controls the social behaviour of the keratinocytes in tissue.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Alcian Blue; Cell Membrane; Female; Glycosaminoglycans; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Intercellular Junctions; Lanthanum; Male; Middle Aged; Psoriasis; Skin