Altered erythrocyte membrane phosphorylation in psoriasis.

Autophosphorylation by [gamma-32P]ATP of erythrocyte membranes from controls, psoriatic patients and patients with skin disorders other than psoriasis was compared by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Compared with controls, membranes from psoriatic patients showed significantly less 32P incorporation in the band 2 region (nomenclature of Fairbanks et al., 1971). In addition, psoriasis and some of the other skin diseases examined displayed decreased phosphorylation in the region of bands 2.9-3 and 4.5-4.8. A new polypeptide band in the 18-20,000 dalton region was also observed in the diseases examined. Altered epidermal plasma membranes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and our findings suggest the defective plasma membranes may be a generalized phenomenon in this disorder.