Nitric oxide and malondialdehyde levels in plasma and tissue of psoriasis patients

• Published in: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Vol. 26; no. 7; pp. 833 - 837
• Main Authors: Şikar Aktürk, A., Özdoğan, H.K., Bayramgürler, D., Çekmen, M.B., Bilen, N., Kıran, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Case-Control Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Middle Aged; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - blood; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Oxidative stress; Plasma levels; Psoriasis; Psoriasis - blood; Psoriasis - metabolism; Reactive oxygen species; Skin diseases; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0926-9959; 1468-3083
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04164.x

Background  The pathogenesis of psoriasis has not been known exactly yet. Recently, it has been suggested that increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) may play a part in the pathogenesis of various skin diseases, including psoriasis.
Objectives  In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of ROS in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Methods  A convenience sample of 23 patients with psoriasis and 23 healthy subjects consented to participate in the study. Plasma NO and MDA levels were measured in all participants. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and tissue levels of MDA on lesional and non‐lesional skin regions of psoriasis patients were measured. In addition, the correlation between age, gender with plasma NO, plasma MDA and tissue MDA was assessed.
Results  Plasma levels of NO and MDA in psoriasis patients (135.8 μmol/L, 4.33 μmol/L, respectively) were statistically significantly higher than those in controls (33.6 μmol/L, 2.03 μmol/L, respectively). Tissue levels of MDA in lesional tissues (49.18 nmol/gr) were significantly higher than those in non‐lesional tissues (28.41 nmol/gr). A significant correlation was not found between the PASI and levels of NO and MDA. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between the plasma NO levels and age.
Conclusion  NO and MDA levels are elevated in psoriasis patients, which may indicate that oxidative stress plays an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of psoriasis.