Immunologic abnormalities in psoriasis: the inhibition of leucocyte migration by stratum corneum antigens.

The migration inhibition of peripheral blood leucocytes by stratum corneum (SC) antigens extracted from psoriatic scales and normal skin was studied in 25 patients with psoriasis and 12 normal controls. In 44% of patients, the radius of the area of spontaneous migration in the absence of antigen was significantly reduced. 9 out of 25 psoriatic cases showed inhibition of leucocyte migration after the addition of both SC antigens. Migration inhibition with SC antigens was observed only in patients in whom the radius of spontaneous migration area appeared to be normal. The data did not confirm the evidence of delayed hypersensitivity to epidermal SC antigens in patients with psoriasis. The decrease of spontaneous leucocyte migration in psoriasis might be dependent on the influence of antibodies against stratum corneum and/or immune complexes coated on lymphocyte or leucocyte surface membrane.