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The tripeptide K d PT ameliorates ongoing psoriasis‐like skin inflammation in murine and human skin
Author(s) -
Mykicki Nadine,
Klenner Lars,
Baumann Christoph,
Auriemma Matteo,
Sternemann Carlo,
Soeberdt Michael,
Elliott Graham R.,
Abels Christoph,
Luger Thomas A.,
Loser Karin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/exd.13145
Subject(s) - psoriasis , inflammation , imiquimod , immunology , medicine , foxp3 , immune system , acanthosis , proinflammatory cytokine , dermatology , hyperkeratosis
Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease appearing as scaly erythematous cutaneous lesions, which are characterized by parakeratosis and acanthosis as well as the infiltration of immune cells, such as T helper‐1 and T helper‐17 cells. Here, we demonstrated that K d PT , a tripeptide structurally related to the C ‐terminal amino acids of alpha‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone, which was previously shown to exhibit anti‐inflammatory effects in intestinal inflammation, ameliorated ongoing disease in the mouse model of imiquimod‐induced psoriasis‐like skin inflammation and in the small xenotransplant mouse model of psoriasis. We could show that systemic K d PT treatment significantly reduced hyperkeratosis and acanthosis in murine as well as human skin. Moreover, K d PT upregulated F oxp3 in CD 4 + T cells from mice and from peripheral blood of individuals with psoriasis and decreased the expression of type 1 inflammatory cytokines, indicating that the beneficial effect of K d PT was, at least in part, mediated by the induction of functional regulatory T cells that suppressed the activation of pathogenic CD 4 + IFN ‐γ + and CD 4 + IL ‐17 + T cells. Thus, these data might suggest K d PT as a potential novel therapeutic alternative for the treatment of psoriasis.