title: Localization of elevated transforming growth factor-alpha in psoriatic epidermis.
abstract: Biopsies of involved and uninvolved skin from five patients with plaque psoriasis and normal skin from four healthy volunteers were investigated for steady-state quantities of TGF-alpha RNA and protein by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Increased levels of TGF-alpha RNA were found only in the high-level keratinocytes of involved psoriatic skin (p less than 0.001). Elevated levels of TGF-alpha protein were seen in both the high-level and basal layers of involved psoriatic skin compared to uninvolved psoriatic and normal control skin. Elevated TGF-alpha gene expression is thus implicated in the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes and possibly the altered maturation pattern seen in psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Anderson College, Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Turbitt
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Akhurst
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: MacKie
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors