Summary
The localization of mast cell tryptase in involved and noninvolved skin sections from 12 psoriatic patients was investigated using both enzyme- and immunohistochemical staining techniques.
Each involved skin section contained an increased number of tryptase-positive mast cells in the superficial dermis as compared with corresponding noninvolved skin sections. The substrate-hydrolyzing and inhibition properties for tryptase activity in involved and noninvolved psoriatic skin sections were identical with each other as well as with those previously described in normal human skin or mastocytoma skin sections. In four patients, epidermal enzyme activity was observed, but only in the involved skin. None of the uninvolved sections showed tryptase activity in the epidermis. This activity was not inhibited by α-antitrypsin, and after removing the enzyme-histochemical stain with Tween 20, positive results obtained with tryptase-specific antibody were found in the same locations. In addition, tryptase-positive cells were detected in close contact to lesional epidermis, but without epidermal staining in four patients. In the epidermis, the positive staining was granular, and active tryptase was detected as far as the stratum corneum.
This study is the first description of the presence of active mast cell tryptase in psoriatic epidermis, where this enzyme may have a role in increased cell division.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Harvima IT, Harvima RJ, Eloranta TO, Fräki JE (1988) The allosteric effect of salt on human mast cell tryptase. Biochim Biophys Acta 956:133–139
Harvima IT, Schechter NM, Harvima RJ, Fräki JE (1988) Human skin tryptase: purification, partial characterization and comparison with human lung tryptase. Biochim Biophys Acta 957:71–80
Harvima IT, Naukkarinen A, Harvima RJ, Fräki JE (1988) Immunoperoxidase and enzyme-histochemical demonstration of human skin tryptase in cutaneous mast cells in normal and mastocytoma skin. Arch Dermatol Res 280:363–370
Harvima IT, Karkola K, Harvima RJ, Naukkarinen A, Neittaanmäki H, Horsmanheimo M, Fräki JE (1989) Biochemical and histochemical evaluation of tryptase in various human tissues. Arch Dermatol Res (in press)
Schwartz LB, Foley JV, Austen KF, Soter NA, Shepard R, Murphy GF (1985) Localization of tryptase to human cutaneous mast cells and keratinocytes by immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase cytochemistry with monoclonal antitryptase antibody. J Allergy Clin Immunol 76:182–188
Harvima IT, Harvima RJ, Penttilä IM, Eloranta TO, Horsmanheimo M, Fräki JE (1989) Effect of human mast cell tryptase on human plasma proenzymes. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol (in press)
Cox AJ (1977) Mast cells in psoriasis. In: Cox AJ, Farber EM (eds) Psoriasis, proceedings of the second international symposium, Stanford University, 1976. Yorke Medical Books, New York, pp 36–43
Töyry S, Fräki J, Tammi R (1988) Mast cell density in psoriatic skin. The effect of PUVA and corticosteroid therapy. Arch Dermatol Res 280:282–285
Schubert C, Christophers E (1985) Mast cells and macrophages in early relapsing psoriasis. Arch Dermatol Res 277:352–358
Brody I (1984) Mast cell degranulation in the evolution of acute eruptive guttate psoriasis vulgaris. J Invest Dermatol 82:460–464
Brody I (1984) Dermal and epidermal involvement in the evolution of acute eruptive guttate psoriasis vulgaris. J Invest Dermatol 82:465–470
Toruniowa B, Jablonska S (1988) Mast cells in the initial stages of psoriasis. Arch Dermatol Res 280:189–193
Castells MC, Irani A-M, Schwartz LB (1987) Evaluation of human peripheral blood leukocytes for mast cell tryptase. J Immunol 138:2184–2189
Dubertret L, Bertaux B, Fosse M, Touraine R (1982) Localization of proteolytic activity in psoriatic skin. Br J Dermatol 107:499–504
Fräki JE (1985) Proteinases and psoriasis. Cutis 36:32
Fräki JE, Hopsu-Havu VK (1976) Human skin proteases: fractionation of psoriasis scale proteases and separation of a plasminogen activator and a histone hydrolyzing protease. Arch Dermatol Res 256:113–126
De Bersaques J (1969) Leucine aminopeptidase and naphthylamidases in human epidermis: biochemical and histochemical data in psoriasis and basaliomas. Arch Klin Exp Dermatol 234:52–60
Leder L (1981) Intraepidermal mast cells and their origin. Am J Dermatopathol 3:247–250
Fräki JE, Hopsu-Havu VK (1976) Plasminogen activator and histone hydrolyzing proteases in psoriasis scales — possible role in increased cell division. Ann Clin Res 8:335–339
Schwartz LB, Kawahara MS, Hugli TE, Vik D, Fearon DT, Austen KF (1983) Generation of C3a anaphylatoxin from human C3 by human mast cell tryptase. J Immunol 130:1891–1895
Schwartz LB, Bradford TR, Littman BH, Wintroub BU (1985) The fibrinogenolytic activity of purified tryptase from human lung mast cells. J Immunol 135:2762–2767
Maier M, Spragg J, Schwartz LB (1983) Inactivation of human high molecular weight kininogen by human mast cell tryptase. J Immunol 130:2352–2356
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harvima, I.T., Naukkarinen, A., Harvima, R.J. et al. Enzyme- and immunohistochemical localization of mast cell tryptase in psoriatic skin. Arch Dermatol Res 281, 387–391 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00455322
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00455322