Comparison of prekeratin and keratin polypeptides in normal and psoriatic human epidermis.

High-resolution electrophoresis has been used to extend previous observations on the polypeptide composition of keratins in psoriatic epidermis. We have compared psoriatic scale keratins with normal and with scale extracts from several different epidermal disorders. Uninvolved psoriatic epidermis contained prekeratin and keratin of normal profile (68, 60, 58, 52 kDa and 66, 58, 55 kDa, respectively). Prekeratin from involved psoriatic epidermis showed a variable quantitative reduction in the 68-kDa polypeptide and an altered expression of smaller polypeptides (Mr 40 000-55 000). Keratin from the psoriatic lesion was abnormal and appeared 'prekeratin-like'. Keratin from the involved stratum corneum of patients with seborrhoeic eczema. Darier's disease and common dandruff were also similar to prekeratin, but that from ichthyosis and toxic epidermal necrolysis was normal. These results suggest that psoriatic keratinocytes have a defective but variable expression of prekeratin polypeptides. Furthermore, the differentiation-linked modification of prekeratin to keratin is defective in psoriasis, a phenomenon found in other hyperkeratotic epidermal disorders.