Summary
We carried out a clinical trial of 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol [1α(OH)D3] at a dose of 1.0 μg a day on 7 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. These patients had been treated by topical applications of corticosteroids before this study without improvement, and during the clinical trial, treatment of topical corticosteroids was continued on 6 of the 7 patients. Four of 7 patients showed complete remission and marked improvement and 2 additional patients showed minimal improvement of their skin lesions during and after the treatment with 1α(OH)D3. No adverse reactions were noted during the treatment period. The mechanism of the phenomenon we observed has yet to be elucidated. Controlled trials of large numbers of patients with psoriasis vulgaris treated with 1α(OH)D3 are under way.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abe E, Miyaura C, Sakagami H, Takeda M, Konno K, Yamazaki T, Yoshiki S, Suda T (1981) Differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells induced by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 78:4990–4994
Bar-Shavit Z, Teitelbaum SL et al (1983) Induction of monocytic differentiation and bone resorption by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:5907–5911
Hosomi J, Hosoi J, Abe E, Suda T, Kuroki T (1983) Regulation of terminal differentiation of cultured mouse epidermal cells by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Endocrinology 113: 1950–1957
Haussler MR, Zerwekh JE, Hesse RH, Rizzardo E, Pechet MM (1983) Biological activity of 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol, a synthetic analog of the hormonal form of vitamin D3. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 70:2248–2252
Holick MF, de Blanco MC, Clark MB, Henley JW, Neer RM, DeLuca HF, Potts JT Jr (1977) The metabolism of [6-3H]1α,hydroxycholecalciferol to [6-3H]1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in a patient with renal insufficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 44:595–598
Lund BJ, Lund Bi, Sorensen OH (1979) Measurement of circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in man: changes in serum concentrations during treatment with 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol. Acta Endocrinol (Kbh) 91:338–350
Lund B, Hiorth L, Kjaer I, Erinann I, Fruo I, Anderson RB (1975) Treatment of osteoporosis of aging with 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol. Lancet II:1168–1171
Gallagher JC, Riggs BL, Eisman J, Hamstra A, Arnaud SB, DeLuca HF (1979) Intestinal calcium absorption and serum vitamin D metabolites in normal subjects and osteoporotic patients. J Clin Invest 64:729–736
Slovik DM, Adams JS, Neer RM, Holick MF, Potts JT (1981) Deficient production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in elderly osteoporotic patients. N Engl J Med 305:372–374
Morimoto S, Kumahara Y (1985) A patient with psoriasis cured by 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3. Med J Osaka Univ 35:51–54
Weinstein GD, Frost P (1968) Abnormal cell proliferation in psoriasis. J Invest Dermatol 50:254–259
Chopra DP, Flaxman BA (1974) Comparative proliferative kinetics of cells from normal human epidermis and benign epidermal hyperplasia (psoriasis) in vitro. Cell Tissue Kinet 7:69–76
Simpson RU, DeLuca HF (1980) Characterization of a receptor-like protein for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in rat skin. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:5822–5826
Colston K, Colston MJ, Feldman D (1980) 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and malignant melanoma: the presence of receptors and inhibition of cell growth in culture. Endocrinology 108:1083–1086
Feldman D, Chen T, Hirst M, Colston K, Karasek M, Cone C (1980) Demonstration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors in human skin biopsies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 51:1463–1466
Morimoto S, Onishi T, Imanaka S, Yukawa H, Kozuka T, Kitano Y, Yoshikawa K, Kumahara Y (1986) Topical administration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 for psoriasis: report of five cases. Calcif Tissue Int 38:119–122
Lee S, Morimoto S, Onishi T, Tsuji M, Okada Y, Seino Y, Ishida M, Yamaoka K, Takai S, Miyauchi A, Kumahara Y (1982) Normal serum 1,25(OH)2D in patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 55:361–363
Eisman JA, Hamstra AJ, Kream BE, DeLuca HF (1976) A sensitive, precise and convenient method for determination of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in human plasma. Arch Biochem Biophys 176:235–243
Seino Y, Yamaoka K, Ishida M, Yabuuchi H, Ichikawa M, Ishige H, Yoshino H, Avioli LB (1982) Biochemical characterization of 1,25(OH)2D3 receptors in chick embryonal duodenal cytosol. Calcif Tissue Int 34:265–269
Vickers HR, Sneddon IB (1963) Psoriasis and hypoparathyroidism. Br J Dermatol 75:419–421
Risum G (1973) Psoriasis exacerbated by hypoparathyroidism with hypocalcaemia. Br J Dermatol 89:309–312
Stewart AF, Battaglin-Sabetta J, Millstone L (1984) Hypocalcemia-induced pustular psoriasis of von-Zumbusch—new experience with an old syndrome. Ann Int Med 100:677–680
Pavlovitch JH, Galoppin L, Rizk M, Didierjean L, Balsan S (1984) Alterations in rat epidermis provoked by chronic vitamin D deficiency. Am J Physiol 247:E228-E233
MacLaughlin JA, Gange W, Taylor D, Smith E, Holick MF (1985) Cultured psoriatic fibroblasts from involved and uninvolved sites have a partial but not absolute resistance to the proliferation-inhibition activity of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:5409–5412
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takamoto, S., Onishi, T., Morimoto, S. et al. Effect of 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol on psoriasis vulgaris: A pilot study. Calcif Tissue Int 39, 360–364 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02555172
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02555172