Skin polyamine levels in psoriasis: the effect of dithranol therapy.

Concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine were determined in biopsies of skin of eight control subjects and of uninvolved skin and skin lesions of eight psoriatic patients before and after topical therapy with dithranol. Mean spermidine and spermine concentrations in uninvolved skin of psoriatic patients were normal, but putrescine concentration was elevated. In psoriatic skin lesions all three amines were significantly elevated. Chemotherapy effectively reduced polyamine concentrations in involved skin touards normal. This decrease in polyamine levels correlated with reduction of the proliferative activity of the epidermis and with clinical improvement of the patients.