Incorporation of 14C-linoleic acid in cerebrosides of psoriatic and normal human skin.

Psoriasis is marked by loss of glycoalyx. Glycocalyx is composed of glycoproteins and glycolipids such as cerebrosides. It was shown that the incorporation of 14C-linoleic acid in cerebrosides of normal and psoriatic human skin is different. In psoriatic epidermis and corium the turnover of this fatty acid is significantly elevated. It is suggested that in psoriasis the epidermal cell is not able to build up a regular carbohydrate sequences of lipids because the false carbohydrate chain activates the degradation of glycolipids and in compensating for the increased degradation raises the synthesis rate of glycolipids.