Mitochondrial dysfunction and psoriasis

[Fred]

This study aimed to evaluate mitochondrial ß-oxidation, intermediary metabolism, and mitochondrial content in psoriasis patients.

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Background:
Psoriasis is strongly associated with insulin resistance (IR). Lipid profile disturbances and upregulation of enzymes crucial for fatty acid oxidation have been reported in patients with psoriasis. Mitochondrial ß-oxidation is altered in patients with IR. Common mitochondrial dysfunction may be involved in the origin of both diseases.

Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate mitochondrial ß-oxidation, intermediary metabolism, and mitochondrial content in psoriatic patients with or without IR and compare them to healthy controls.

Methods:
The participants were divided into three groups: 1) psoriasis and IR (n = 26); 2) psoriasis without IR (n = 17); and 3) healthy controls (n = 17). Quantification of amino acids and acylcarnitines (AC) by tandem mass spectrometry, determination of urinary organic acids by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and mitochondrial DNA quantification were performed in all groups.

Results:
When comparisons were made between the two psoriatic groups, no differences were found between: C5DC+C6OH, C16:1, Met/Leu, Met/Phe, C16:1/C16, and C5DC+C6OH/C4DC+C5OH ratios. Nine analytes were different: phenylalanine, Cit/Phe, and Cit/Tyr ratios, C0, C3, C5, C6DC, C16, and C18:1OH. There were no correlations between psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), body mass index (BMI), and duration of disease with ACs. A higher proportion of patients with psoriasis showed increased urine levels of uric acid and hippuric acid (p= 0.01). The mtDNA content was significantly higher in cases than in controls, with no differences between IR and non-IR psoriatic patients.

Conclusions:
Psoriasis patients with and without IR have a different acylcarnitine profile reflecting impaired ß-oxidation. A distinctive profile of acylcarnitines suggests an involvement of mitochondrial function associated with an increase in stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD) activity in psoriatic patients with and without IR.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

*Early view funding unknown

[D Foster]

Does that mean that people with psoriasis with increased uric acid are more likely to get gout.

[Caroline]

I am rather convinced that psoriasis is originally a mitochondrial problem, but I also think that they are searching in the wrong direction.

[D Foster]

I believe that they suspect that mitochondrial problem is involved in Alzheimer's disease.