RESUMO
The present study was designed to measure the activity of purine nucleoside phosphorylalse (PNPase) in sera, erythrocytes and lymphocytes of blood from patients with various dermatoses as it's activities are known to be decreased in cell-mediated immune deficiency diseases. The PNPase activities in sera, erythrocytes and lymphocytes of normal subjects were (3. 9+1. 03) x 104 unit/L, 5.04+1. 06 unit/107rbc, l. 74+0. 35 unit/103 lymphocytes respectively. In urticaria, leukocytoclastic vasculitis and purpura, there were no differences in PNPase antivities between patients groups and normal subjects. In atopic dermatitis, there were no differences in PNPase activities of sera and erythrocytes between patients group and normal subjects. But, lymphocyte PNPase activities of atopic patients were lowered than those of normal subjects(1.41 +0. 52 unit/10 lymphocytes). In tuberculoid leprosy, there were no differences in lymphocyte PNPase activities between patients group and normal subjects. But, the PNPase activities in sera and erythrocytes of patients group were lowered than those of normal subjects (3. 20. 76) x 104 unit/L, 3. 8n+1.96 unit/107rbc). The PNPase activities in sera((l. 87+/-0. 62) x 104 unit/L), erythrocytes(2. 08+0. 98 unit/107rbc) and lymphocytes (0.51+0. 26 unit/103 lymphocytes) of lepromatous leprosy patients were significantly lowered than those of normal subjects.