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[Zinc distribution disorder in psoriasis (author's transl)]
Summary
Psoriasis patients show altered zinc distribution, with higher plasma zinc and lower erythrocyte zinc levels compared to healthy individuals. These changes are significant but not linked to lesion severity.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Dermatology
- Trace Element Analysis
Context:
- Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting millions worldwide.
- Zinc is an essential trace element involved in numerous biological processes.
- Altered zinc homeostasis has been implicated in various inflammatory diseases.
Purpose:
- To investigate the distribution of zinc in plasma and erythrocytes of patients with psoriasis.
- To compare zinc levels in psoriasis patients with those in healthy controls.
Summary:
- Atomic absorption spectrophotometry revealed significantly elevated plasma zinc and decreased erythrocyte zinc concentrations in 64 psoriasis patients compared to 54 controls.
- These zinc distribution changes in psoriasis were statistically significant.
- No correlation was observed between altered zinc levels and the percentage of skin surface affected by psoriatic lesions.
Impact:
- The findings suggest a disturbed zinc metabolism in psoriasis, potentially linked to histidine metabolism or cell membrane permeability alterations.
- Understanding zinc dysregulation may offer new therapeutic targets for psoriasis management.
- Highlights the importance of trace element analysis in dermatological research.