title: Polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemotaxis in response to leukotriene B4 in treated and untreated psoriatics.
abstract: Various chemoattractants have been implicated in the aetiology of the polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) migration into the epidermis seen in early lesions of psoriasis. Using an under-agarose technique, the in vitro chemotactic responses of PMN to the arachidonic acid lipoxygenase product leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were assayed in five groups of subjects: normal healthy volunteers (n = 12), untreated psoriatics (n = 11) and psoriatics treated with topical tar (n = 12), PUVA (n = 11) and UVB phototherapy (n = 10). No significant difference was observed between the responses of control subjects and of untreated psoriatics, nor between the untreated psoriatic group and the PUVA- and UVB-treated groups, respectively. However, comparison of the tar-treated and untreated groups revealed a significantly increased chemotactic response to LTB4 in the tar-treated group (p less than 0.01).
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Raffle
mesh_terms: D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000187:drug effects*; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy
chemical_list: D007975:Leukotriene B4; D003033:Coal Tar