The sulphate content of dermal and urinary glycosaminoglycans in psoriatics with increased excretion and increased dermal content of glycosaminoglycans

The investigation included 17 psoriatics and 19 healthy controls. The content of sulphate per disaccharide unit (sulphate/uronic acid ratio) was measured in the sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) isolated from urine and dermal biopsies of the gluteal region. Biopsies were taken from both involved and uninvolved skin of the psoriatics. Perfectly normal sulphate/uronic acid ratios were found in the involved and uninvolved skin as well as in the urine of the psoriatics. A close and positive correlation between the sulphate/uronic acid ratio of the sulphated GAGs in the affected and unaffected skin of the psoriatics was discovered. The results are discussed in relation to earlier findings on the same specimens which shows that the concentration of sulphated GAGs in the psoriatic lesions is increased (28%) as is the urinary excretion of sulphated GAG in the same patients (62%).