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M K Cramers

Publications and source records attributed to M K Cramers.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Dermal glycosaminoglycans characterise the primary irritant dermatitis in psoriatics and healthy individuals.

Primary irritant dermatitis includes an inflammatory process of connective tissue which is of general interest. For the first time this process has been characterised biochemically in humans by following the dermal changes in the concentration of hydroxyproline and four glycosaminoglycans. In healthy individuals (n = 7) and in psoriatics (n = 8) the changes were rather similar. Only dermatan sulphate showed a tendency towards an abnormal response in the psoriatics. In both groups the deviations from the pre-irritant condition clearly distinguished the response of irritant dermatitis from that of the wound healing process: (1) the concentration of hyaluronic acid decreased by the third day and remained so until by the sixth day, (2) after a decrease on the third day the concentration of dermatan sulphate returned to the initial value by the sixth day, (3 and 4) the concentration of chondroitin 4/6-sulphate and heparan sulphate increased continuously from the third to the sixth day, and (5) the concentration of hydroxyproline remained constant throughout the period of investigation.

Adult↗

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%).

Adult↗

Dermatan sulphate in urine reflects the extent of skin affection in psoriasis.

The investigation included 15 psoriatic patients and 14 healthy controls. By using a simple method based on susceptibility to chondroitinases the excretion of dermatan sulphate, chondroitin-4/6-sulphate and heparan sulphate in the psoriatics was found to be increased with 104, 62 and 47% from uronic acid mean excretions of 1.97, 6.37 and 5.10 mumol/24 h, respectively. The excretion of hydroxyproline was not increased. In both groups the excretion of hyaluronic acid was insignificant. The absolute increase in the excretion of a major skin component like dermatan sulphate was exceeded by the excretion of chondroitin-4/6-sulphate and heparan sulphate which are both small components of skin. This indicates a comparatively high turnover of those two fractions in psoriatic lesions. The fact, that only the excretion of dermatan sulphate correlated with the fraction of skin surface involved in the psoriatic disease, indicated an important origin of this fraction, as well as the possibility of dermatan sulphate as a means of following dermal metabolism.

Adult↗

Determination of hyaluronic acid, dermatan sulphate, heparan sulphate and chondroitin 4/6 sulphate in human dermis, and a material of reference.

Using a new method based on electrophoresis and enzymatic digestion with chondroitinase AC small skin biopsies of 15 healthy individuals were assayed for qualitative and quantitative content of glycosaminoglycans. The content of collagen was measured as hydroxyproline. The following results were obtained: (1) The mean substance content and standard deviation of hyaluronic acid, dermatan sulphate, heparan sulphate chondroitin 4 or 6 sulphate and hydroxyproline in dried defatted tissue is presented. (2) There is a negative correlation with age for hyaluronic acid and no correlation with age for any of the other glycosaminoglycans or the hydroxyproline. (3) The sex has no major influence on any of the quantities measured. (4) The observed substance content of water in wet tissue is presented.

Adult↗

Paired observations of sulphate/uronic acid ratios in glycosaminoglycans of human dermis and urine.

Using methods which have been described earlier in detail [23] the sulphate/uronic acid molar ratio of glycosaminoglycans was determined in corresponding specimens of skin and urine obtained from 14 healthy adults. The method of dermis was provided with an electrophoretic separation that made it possible to determine the ratio of the sulphate subfraction without increasing the weight of the biopsies. The sulphate/uronic acid ratios were uninfluenced by age and were exactly equal in males and females whether measured in total glycosaminoglycans of dermis (0 X 51 +/- 0 X 11, means +/- SD), in the sulphated subfraction of dermal glycosaminoglycans (1 X 17 +/- 0 X 25) or in urinary glycosaminoglycans (0 X 96 +/- 0 X 15). The latter ratio was surprisingly high and the significance of this was discussed. Furthermore an inverse relationship between the urinary ratio and the ratio of sulphated glycosaminoglycans of dermis was found. However the exact nature of this relationship remains to be explained. The results demonstrate the applicability of a method that can be used on small biopsies without ethical obstacles and make it possible to discover pathological conditions.

Adult↗