Clemmensen OJ, Staberg B, Worm AM.
DOI: 10.2340/000155556458

Suction blister fluid from the abdominal skin of 14 healthy subjects was examined for the presence of split products of complement C3 (C3-split) as an indicator of complement activation before and after treatment with either UVA or PUVA. Following PUVA a significant increase in C3-split was found (p less than 0.05) in both irradiated and non-irradiated skin areas. Following UVA the increase in C3-split was less pronounced. The activation of complement may play an important role in the maintenance of the delayed erythema that appears after irradiation with long-wave ultraviolet light.