EVALUATION OF SERINE ALPHA-1-ANTITRYPSIN AND POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE ELASTASE CONTENTS AND THEIR IMMUNOGENETIC CORRELATION IN PSORIASIS

The purpose of our study was to quantify the serum content of alpha 1- antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) and polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase (PMN -E) in of 21 patients affected by active and stationary psoriasis, and 12 normal controls. HLA typing was also performed to identify a corre lation among HLA antigens, age at onset of psoriasis and biochemical r esults. alpha 1-AT levels were within the normal range in all patients , even in those with active, extensive, inherited and juvenile psorias is, and in the controls. These data allow us to exclude, in our patien ts, the presence of rare or defective phenotypes, frequently associate d with reduced serine levels of oil-AT. The PMN-E serine content was g reatly increased in 3 patients, increased in 2, and slightly modified in 6 cases. All patients with the highest PMN-E levels reported a posi tive family history and absence of pulmonary, hepatic and atopic disea ses. An increased psoriatic inheritance has been observed in the CW6-p ositive subjects (7/20), comparing B13 and DR6 antigen frequency. No c orrelation among HLA antigens, age at onset, clinical phase, or bioche mical results could be established.