The oxygen consumption of the germinal epithelium in normal and psoriatic skin.

Abstract

SUMMARY The Cartesian diver microgasometer was used to study the oxygen consumption in microdissected samples of the basal parts of epidermis. Specimens were taken from guttate lesions and uninvolved skin of psoriatic patients and also from subjects without psoriasis. Incubations were performed in TC 199 phosphate medium supplemented with either 5·6 mM glucose, 20 mM pyruvate or oxalacetate and/or 10 mM sodium succinate. Without supplements to the medium the oxygen consumption averaged 16 mmol./hr. and kg. dry weight and no differences were found between the normal epidermis and the 2 types of psoriatic epidermis. Addition of glucose or pyruvate did not change the rate of respiration. In normal epidermis and in the unaffected epidermis from patients with psoriasis the oxygen uptake increased by a factor of 1·5 after addition of succinate. A much more intense stimulation was obtained by succinate in the guttate psoriatic lesion2 the oxygen consumption in these experiments increased by a factor of 6·8. Oxalacetate did not influence the respiration in the absence of succinate, but a strong inhibitory effect was evident in all epidermal groups studied after addition of succinate. The results indicate that in the psoriatic lesion the cells have a considerable capacity for metabolic energy production.