Changes in epidermal acid phosphatase levels in response to chemical irritation

Topical sodium laurate produced little or no immediate change in the amount of rat epidermal acid phosphatase but the levels of thid enzyme progressively increased to reach a maximum at about 3 days. This coincided with acanthosis and thickening of the stratum granulosum, indicating epidermal repair. The increase depended o protein synthesis as it could be blocked by treatment with cycloheximide. This inhibitory effect was associated histologically with loss of the stratum granulosum, supporting the belief that the expression of acid phosphatase is closely linked with this layer during normal keratinization.