Localization and activity of tissue bound cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in normal and lack of changes in psoriatic human skin.

This study has been undertaken to elucidate the localization and the activity of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) in psoriatic epidermis compared to normal. The results showed that the evaluation of cytochemical methods may be difficult because of the various factors which interfere with the reaction and the considerable amount of background staining. Additionally, only the tissue bound particulate enzyme fraction may be demonstrated by cytochemical means. Nevertheless, the method did reveal that the activity of PDE, if any, is localized on the cytoplasmic membranes of the cells, independent of their origin, and not on the cell surface. Moreover, no differences were found between normal and psoriatic skin. It seems, therefore, that the intracellular degradation of cAMP remains unaltered in psoriasis.