- Psoriasis is an uncomfortable inflammatory skin condition that may lead to other health conditions, most commonly psoriatic arthritis.
- A recent study used a novel investigative method known as “spatial transcriptomics” to investigate what causes psoriasis and how the condition spreads.
- The researchers found the genetic changes associated with psoriasis skin lesions also appear in healthy skin elsewhere in the body, far removed from the visibly affected site.
- The results suggest specific molecular mechanisms by which psoriasis may lead to other diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.
More than 7.5 million adults in the United States have psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease typically characterized by inflammation of the elbows, knees, or scalp.
These inflamed, itchy areas, or plaques, are scale-covered thick regions of epidermal tissue. Psoriasis is also associated with a range of other health problems.
There is currently no cure for psoriasis; it can flare up unexpectedly and cause discomfort.
Treatment for psoriasis may include medication, injections, topical ointments, or dietary modifications, but for many people, the skin condition may persist, which could become frustrating.
In some cases, psoriasis may also lead to other health problems.
While psoriasis is recognized as a malfunctioning of the immune system, there is still much that is unknown about the condition.
Recently, researchers used a novel technique known as “spatial transcriptomics,” to learn more about psoriasis on a molecular level: how it behaves and how it could be linked to the development of other diseases.
The researchers used tissue-scaled mapping, or cartography, of psoriasis samples, which revealed increased genetic activity in dozens of molecular pathways linked to the development of chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The results of the study were published on June 2 in the journal Science.
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