The rate of growth of normal human skin fibroblasts was inhibited in a dose related, reversible, fashion by practolol (N-4-(2-hydroxy)-3 (1-methyl)-aminopropoxyphenylacetamine) (ID50 1.35 ± 0.14 x 10-3M), propranolol (1-(isopropylamino)-3(1-naphthyl-oxy)-2-propranolol) (ID50 0.145 ± 0.02 x 10-3M) and paracetamol (N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide) (ID50 0.85 ± 0.2 x 10-3M). Skin fibroblasts isolated from a psoriasis patient were more sensitive towards practolol (ID50 0.48 ± 0.14 x 10-3M) and propranolol (ID50 0.032 ± 0.002 x 10-3M), but less sensitive towards paracetamol (ID50 1.3 ± 0.07 x 10-3M). In vitro generated metabolites of practolol, using normal or Arochlor 1254-pretreated hamster liver preparations, and structural analogues of practolol had no effect upon the growth of either cell type.
A slab gel electrophoresis technique for measurement of plasma retinol-binding protein, cellular retinol-binding and retinoic-acid-binding proteins in human skin