APOPTOTIC CELL-DEATH IN FORMATION OF VESICULAR SKIN-LESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH ACQUIRED ZINC-DEFICIENCY

We investigated the role of apoptotic cell death in the production of skin lesions in patients with acquired zinc deficiency. Nuclear conden sation of keratinocytes was observed at an early stage of skin lesions in patients with zinc deficiency, especially around vesicular lesions . Nuclei of keratinocytes in perivesicular lesions of tile epidermis w ere positively stained by the nick-end labeling specific for fragmente d DNA. Lewis Y antigen was also expressed on perivesicular lesions. On the other hand, there were no such positively stained cells in hyperk eratotic skin lesions of tile patients. Therefore, it was suggested th at apoptotic cell death might play a role in the formation of vesicula r skill lesions in patients with zinc deficiency, but not in the forma tion of hyperkeratotic skin lesions.