Porphyrins and nucleic acid in some photosensitive skin diseases

This study was suggested to evaluate the possible role of porphyrins and DNA, and their interaction, in some photosensitive premalignant and malignant dermatoses. Twenty-five patients with photosensitive skin diseases viz. xeroderma pigmentosum and basal cell carcinoma, were randomly selected at the outpatient clinic of Dermatology in Mansoura University Hospital. Twenty-five matched normal individuals were used as a control group. In basal cell carcinoma patients, a high increase in skin DNA and decrease in skin total porphyrin, haemoglobin and haem concentrations were observed. In xeroderma pigmentosum, a significant decrease in both skin DNA and skin total porphyrin were found, at the same time, there were elevations in urinary total porphyrin, PBG and ALA concentrations, and a high decrease in haemoglobin and haem levels.