Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of acitretin, alone or in combination with psoralen-ultraviolet A or narrow-band ultraviolet B-therapy in psoriatic patients

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Silva, FSG (Author) Other; Oliveira, H (Author) Other; Moreiras, A (Author) Other; Fernandes, JC (Author) Other; Bronze da Rocha, E (Author) FFUP; Figueiredo, A (Author) Other; Custodio, JBA (Author) Other; Rocha Pereira, P (Author) Other; Santos Silva, A (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Mutation Research - Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis

Vol. 753

Pages: 42-47

ISSN: 1383-5718

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

Scopus - 7 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-005-1FT

DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2012.12.017

Abstract (EN): Acitretin is currently used alone or combined with PUVA (psoralen + UVA) or with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NBUVB), to treat moderate and severe psoriasis. However, little is known about the potential genotoxic/carcinogenic risk and the cytostatic/cytotoxic effects of these treatments. Our aim was to study the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of acitretin - alone or in combination with PUVA or NBUVB - by performing studies with blood from patients with psoriasis vulgaris who were treated with acitretin, acitretin + PUVA or acitretin + NBUVB for 12 weeks, and in vitro studies with blood from healthy volunteers, which was incubated with acitretin at different concentrations. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects were evaluated by the cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus test and the comet assay. Our results show that psoriatic patients treated with acitretin alone or with acitretin + NBUVB, did not show genotoxic effects. In addition, these therapies reduced the rate of proliferation and induced apoptosis and necrosis of lymphocytes; the same occurred with lymphocyte cultures incubated with acitretin (1.2-20 mu M). The acitretin + PUVA reduced also the proliferation rate, and increased the necrotic lymphocytes. Our studies suggest that therapy with acitretin alone or combined with NBUVB, as used in psoriatic patients, does not show genotoxic effects, reduces the rate of proliferation and induces apoptosis and necrosis of lymphocytes. The combination of acitretin with PUVA also reduces the proliferation rate and increases the number of necrotic lymphocytes. However, as it induced slight genotoxic effects, further studies are needed to clarify its genotoxic potential.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6