title: Glucosamine for psoriasis?
abstract: Amphiregulin and transforming growth factor-alpha, agonists for the epidermal growth factor receptor, are the major autocrine growth factors for cultured keratinocytes, and their substantial overexpression in psoriatic lesions suggests that they are crucial to the basal hyperplasia that characterizes psoriasis. Amphiregulin binds to heparin and related highly sulfated polysaccharides, and exogenous heparin blocks its growth factor activity, rationalizing previous reports that psoriasis responds to heparin therapy. Differentiating keratinocytes produce increased amounts of protein-bound as well as free-chain heparan sulfates, which may function physiologically as amphiregulin antagonists. By promoting keratinocyte synthesis of these heparan sulfates, glucosamine administration may inhibit amphiregulin function and thus provide therapeutic benefit in psoriasis. Concurrent ingestion of fish oil, by impeding the excessive activation of protein kinase C, may decrease keratinocyte production of amphiregulin and other autocrine growth factors, thus complementing the postulated benefits of glucosamine.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: McCarty
mesh_terms: D066258:Amphiregulin; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008954:Models, Biological; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D066258:Amphiregulin; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D005395:Fish Oils; D005944:Glucosamine; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; C587848:AREG protein, human