Increased Concentrations of Nonesterified Arachidonic Acid, 12L-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic Acid, Prostaglandin E2, and Prostaglandin F2αin Epidermis of Psoriasis

Lesional epidermis of psoriasis has a probable reduction in the cyclic AMP/cyclic GMP ratio. This altered ratio may in part be responsible for the characteristic glycogen storage, rapid cell proliferation, and reduced differentiation in lesional epidermis. The concentrations of prostaglandins E2and F2α, free arachidonic acid, and 12L-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid in specimens of uninvolved and involved epidermis of psoriasis were measured with deuterium-labeled carriers and multiple ion analysis. Snap frozen specimens contained: 1.4 ± 0.4 μ g/g (wet weight) of arachidonic acid in uninvolved in contrast to 36.3 ± 16.7 μ g/g in involved epidermis (P = 0.015);