title: Effect of PUVA on plasma and skin immunoreactive alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone concentrations.
abstract: Plasma alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) concentrations were measured in patients receiving PUVA therapy as treatment for mycosis fungoides, and PUVA or UVB as treatment for psoriasis. Skin immunoreactive alpha-MSH was also measured in those patients who received PUVA. The mean plasma and skin alpha-MSH concentrations after 2-3 weeks of PUVA were not significantly different from pre-treatment values and showed no relationship either to skin type or to the degree of tanning that occurred in response to PUVA. Plasma alpha-MSH concentrations were also unchanged after UVB. There was also no short term change in plasma alpha-MSH concentrations in patients after receiving their first treatment with PUVA. It would appear that circulating and skin alpha-MSH levels are unaffected by UV and show no causal relationship to PUVA induced pigmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spiro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thody
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000188:drug therapy; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000521:alpha-MSH