# BIOCHEMISTRY OF PSORIATIC BLOOD VESSELS

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $204,929

## Abstract

A hallmark of psoriasis is a highly proliferated and fenescrated
micovascular network.  The factors that regulate blood vessel
proliferation in this disease are unknown.  This proposal will
determine the role of cyclic nucleotides and proto-oncogenes in
cell replication and differentiation of both normal and psoriatic
microvascular skin endothelial cells.

Microvascular endothelial cells will be isolated from three types
of psoriasis and a comprehensive library of these cells will be
established a several growth passages.  The responsiveness of the
psoriatic cell to vasoactive agents that produce vessel changes in
vivo (vasoactive amines, prostaglandins, neuropeptides) will be
determined in vitro both biochemically and morphologically by
measuring changes in intracellular levels of cyclic AMP and cyclic
GMP an by endothelial cell contraction and gap formation in cell
monolayers.  The fine structure of the cells (cytoplasmic
filaments, cell membranes, Weibel-Palade bodies) will be
characterized by electron microscopy.  Angiogenesis will be
measured in cell monolayers by induction of new vessels by
collagen gels and the modulation of 4 proto-oncogenes (c-ras, c-
myc, c-sis, and c-fos) will be determined by Northern blot
analysis.  The fine structure of the normal and psoriatic vessels at
each stage of differentation will be analyzed by electron
microscopy.

These studies will provide basic information on the biochemistry
and ultrastructure of both the normal and psoriatic skin
microvascular endothelial cell and will determine if the
abnormalities in the growth of blood vessels in psoriasis can be
traced to genetic defects in the regulation of cyclic nucleotides
essential for cell growth and function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3159515
- **Project number:** 1R01AR039470-01
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJD6G4D6TJY5
- **Principal Investigator:** MARVIN A KARASEK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $204,929
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1988-09-01 → 1991-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3159515

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3159515, BIOCHEMISTRY OF PSORIATIC BLOOD VESSELS (1R01AR039470-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3159515. Licensed CC0.

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