title: Increased production of transforming growth factor-alpha in psoriatic epidermis.
abstract: To elucidate the involvement of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, we measured TGF-alpha levels in the extracts from six normal epidermis and four psoriatic involved epidermis samples by enzyme-linked sorbent assay using monoclonal antibody specific for TGF-alpha. The amount of TGF-alpha in the extracts of normal epidermis was 1.45 +/- 1.06 ng/g of wet tissue, while the amount in psoriatic involved epidermis was 6.71 +/- 0.75 ng/g of wet tissue. The TGF-alpha level in psoriatic involved epidermis was thus 4.62 fold higher than that of normal epidermis (P less than 0.001). TGF-alpha binds to epidermal growth factor receptors and functions as an autocrine growth factor for epidermal keratinocytes. Therefore, the increased levels of TGF-alpha may be involved in the induction or the maintenance of hyperproliferation of psoriatic epidermal keratinocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Osaka University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashiyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha