BETA-ADRENERGIC STIMULATION OF CYCLIC-AMP IS DEFECTIVE IN CULTURED DERMAL FIBROBLASTS OF PSORIATIC SUBJECTS

Epidermal cells from psoriatic lesions demonstrate a very low cAMP response to beta-adrenergic stimuli. We have shown that a similar abnormality occurs in dermal fibroblasts from affected areas of skin. The cells, after 5-12 passages in tissue culture, had a much reduced response to 10-8 M and 10-6 M isoproterenol when compared with fibroblasts from control subjects. The abnormality was not abolished by the addition of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-I-methylxanthine. Other putative agonists tested were vasoactive intestinal peptide and peptide histidine methionine. Neither of these had an effect on dermal fibroblasts from either normal controls or from lesions of psoriasis.