Certain arachidonic metabolites may play a pathogenic role in psoriasis. Platelets are rich sources of 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) and thromboxane A2, mediators of skin inflammation and platelet aggregation, respectively. We have studied untreated psoriatic patients without a history of diabetes mellitus and smoking. In psoriatics, platelet aggregation elicited by thrombin, ADP, and ristocetin was significantly enhanced as compared with healthy adult volunteers. Enhancement of platelet aggregation was detected in patients with both minimal and widespread disease. The formation of 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT), a cyclooxygenase product, and 12-HETE, a 12-lipoxygenase product, was increased in psoriatics with widespread disease but not in those with minimal disease. Formation of 12-HETE was stimulated to a higher degree (125%) than HHT (98%) in psoriasis (P less than 0.05). Addition of platelet-derived 12-HETE to cultured human epidermal keratinocytes resulted in a stimulation of the DNA synthesis (68% at 10(-7) M). These data suggest that platelet activation occurs in psoriasis, and that release of inflammatory and mitogenic compounds by activated platelets may play a role in the pathophysiology of psoriasis. Whether enhanced platelet aggregation in psoriasis is associated with occlusive vascular disease needs further investigation.