THE EFFECT OF THE ANTIPSORIATIC DRUG METABOLITE ETRETIN (Ro 10-1670) ON UVB IRRADIATION INDUCED CHANGES IN THE METABOLISM OF ARACHIDONIC ACID IN HUMAN KERATINOCYTES IN CULTURE

¹⁴C]Arachidonic acid was avidly incorporated into human keratinocytes in culture and following exposure to UVB irradiation of 9 mJ/cm² (erythemally effective, EE) substantial amounts of ¹⁴C-radiolabel were released from the cells. The release of radiolabel was accompanied by a decrease in the labelling of phosphatidylethanolamine whereas the labelling of triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters was increased. Keratinocytes produced significant amounts of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and following UVB irradiation of 9 mJ/cm² (EE) the formation of prostaglandin E₂ was increased.
Etretin (Ro 10-1670), the active metabolite of the antipsoriatic drug etretinate (Ro 10-9359), affected significantly neither the total release of radiolabel induced by UVB nor the formation of prostaglandin E₂. However, in the presence of etretin the UVB irradiation induced transfer of ^l4C]arachidonic acid into triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters was not increased as much as in the corresponding experiments without etretin. On the basis of the present study it appears that etretin does not interfere with the release of arachidonic acid in amounts which could be related to the therapeutic effects of the combination of retinoids with UVB irradiation (Re-UVB) in the treatment of psoriasis.