Polyploidization and hemiploidization induced by PUVA in vivo.

To obtain additional information on the in vivo injury induced by PUVA treatment, primary cultures were initiated from biopsies of the uninvolved skin of 15 PUVA-treated psoriatic patients, and the cells generated were analysed for morphological and chromosomal modifications. Three biopsies were obtained from each patient, the first one before commencing PUVA therapy (control) and the other two during the course of therapy. It was found that PUVA treatment has diverse effects on the mitotic activity, mitotic mechanisms and chromosomes of the cutaneous cells: (1) an inhibition of cell proliferation during the early stages of therapy followed by a reversion to normal proliferation as the PUVA treatments were continued; the production of (2) cells with more than one nucleus, (3) macrocells, (4) cells with micronuclei, (5) polyploid cells, (6) haploid cells, (7) cells with 13 chromosomes denoting a twofold reduction in the normal number of metaphase chromosomes, (8) end-associations of the chromosomes as in the pachytene phase of meiosis (9) diplotene chromosomes, and (10) chromosomal translocations.