From technologynetworks.com
The protein behind flare-ups of psoriasis and its link to the immune system has been uncovered
Psoriasis, a painful and uncomfortable inflammatory skin condition that affects millions worldwide, flares up from the activity of disease- and infection-protecting immune cells.
In a new study, researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have determined that a protein called NF-kB c-Rel can intensify the condition’s symptoms when activated by signals from the body’s immune system. Understanding how “c-Rel” affects skin inflammation could lead to new treatments, they said.
The study, published recently in eBioMedicine, examined how c-Rel contributes to the function of a type of immune cell—known as dendritic cells (DCs). The study examined how c-Rel responds to specific immunological signals through Toll Like Receptor 7 (TLR7), which regulates innate immunity and inflammation, exacerbating psoriasis.
The researchers also found the absence of c-Rel alleviates inflammation that causes red, scaly patches on the skin.
“We believe that by focusing on c-Rel and TLR7, scientists might be able to create more targeted treatments that reduce inflammation and help psoriasis symptoms,” said Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, associate professor of pathology, member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and researcher at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, the study’s principal investigator. “This may help relieve the discomfort millions of people live with skin inflammation.”
The researchers examined skin samples from psoriasis patients and a mouse model with similar skin changes. They analysed c-Rel levels and its behaviour in specially engineered cells lacking the protein; they also examined the mouse model lacking c-Rel.
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