Ann Dermatol.  2013 Aug;25(3):321-326. 10.5021/ad.2013.25.3.321.

Altered Levels of Sphingosine and Sphinganine in Psoriatic Epidermis

• Moon SH
• Kim JY
• Song EH
• Shin MK
• Cho YH
• Kim NI

• KMID: 2265872
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2013.25.3.321

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Ceramides are the main lipid component of the stratum corneum and are a structurally heterogeneous and complex group of sphingolipids of which sphingoid bases are the basic structural constituents. Altered levels of sphingoid bases have been reported in skin conditions that involve dryness and barrier disruption, including atopic dermatitis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the altered levels of sphingoid bases in psoriatic epidermis and their relationship with the clinical severity of the psoriasis.
METHODS
Samples from the lesional and non-lesional epidermis were obtained from eight psoriasis patients. Levels of sphingosine and sphinganine were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The expression of ceramide synthase and ceramidase proteins, which are related to sphingosine and sphinganine metabolism, were measured using Western blot analysis.
RESULTS
Levels of sphingosine and sphinganine in the lesional epidermis were significantly higher than those in the non-lesional epidermis. Although there was no altered ceramide synthase and ceramidase, there was a highly significant positive correlation between the % change of ceramidase, the degradative enzyme of ceramide into sphingosine, and the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score.
CONCLUSION
The levels of sphingosine and sphinganine were significantly increased in psoriatic epidermis and the % change of ceramidase was positively correlated with the clinical severity of psoriasis.

Keyword

Ceramidases; Dihydroceramide desaturase; Psoriasis; Sphinganine; Sphingosine

MeSH Terms

Blotting, Western
Ceramidases
Ceramides
Chromatography, Liquid
Epidermis
Humans
Oxidoreductases
Proteins
Psoriasis
Skin
Sphingolipids
Sphingosine
Ceramidases
Ceramides
Oxidoreductases
Proteins
Sphingolipids
Sphingosine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 (A, B) Sphingoid bases in lesional and non-lesional skin. Values are presented as mean±standard error of measurement. *p<0.05 by paired t-test.

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  Fig. 2 Correlation between % change in ceramidase protein expression and the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score (r=0.752, p<0.05).

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