Modulation of eicosanoid formation by lesional skin of psoriasis: an ex vivo skin model.

The purpose of the present study was to develop an ex vivo skin model to determine the capacity of lesional skin of psoriasis to form leukotriene B4 and other eicosanoids. Keratomed skin samples were incubated in the presence of the calcium ionophore A23187 and arachidonic acid for 45 min at 37 degrees C. After extraction of lipids, eicosanoids were determined by quantitative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with specific radioimmunoassays. We found that stimulation of skin samples with A23187 and arachidonic acid increased the amount of leukotriene B4 4.0-fold. The 12-lipoxygenase product, 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid, and the 15-lipoxygenase product, 15-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid, were both increased 2.7-fold. The cyclooxygenase product, prostaglandin E2, was increased 8.0-fold. Similar incubations using psoriatic scales did not result in formation of eicosanoids. Incubations with the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor RS43179 inhibited the formation of leukotriene B4 and prostaglandin E2 without significantly affecting the formation of 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid and 15-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid. These results reveal that lesional psoriatic skin ex vivo has the enzymatic capacity to increase the levels of eicosanoids. This provides an ex vivo skin model to determine whether putative lipoxygenase inhibitors are able to modulate the formation of eicosanoids in psoriatic skin.