Correlation of epidermal plasminogen activator activity with disease activity in psoriasis.

The specific activity of plasminogen activator was increased in clinically involved psoriatic epidermis compared with the uninvolved skin of the same eight patients. Alterations in plasminogen activator activity correlated with disease activity as measured by extent of body surface involved with psoriasis. Levels of plasminogen activator increased in uninvolved epidermis of psoriatic patients during retinoid therapy.