title: Increased urine neopterin levels in psoriasis.
abstract: The production of neopterin closely reflects activation of T-lymphocyte-mediated immunity. Oxidized and reduced forms of urine neopterin were measured by reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography in patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis (n = 40), and in a heterogeneous group of patients (n = 14) with cutaneous T-cell malignancies (CTCM). Results were compared with healthy non-psoriatic control subjects (n = 30). Neopterin levels were repeated after a course of ultraviolet B therapy (UVB) plus topical tar or dithranol, or photochemotherapy (PUVA), in 12 psoriatic patients. Fully oxidized urine neopterin levels and neopterin/creatinine ratios were significantly elevated in the psoriatic group compared with controls (P < 0.002, P < 0.05) but not in the CTCM group. Both neopterin and its creatinine ratio were significantly reduced by treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Psoriasis area and severity index scores (PASI) correlated strongly with urine neopterin levels (P < 0.001). These findings indicate that urine neopterin concentrations may be a marker of psoriatic disease activity, and further support the importance of activated T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
authors: Department of Dermatology, St Helier Hospital, Carshalton, U.K.
authors: C C
authors: CC
authors: Harland
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Whitaker
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Barron
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Holden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000652:urine; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000652:urine*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D003404:Creatinine