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Discovery of Genes Associated with Psoriasis

As of May 1, 2008, the UPI has enrolled over 950 participants with psoriasis and over 250 participants without psoriasis. The information and blood samples provided have allowed the UPI investigators to study the clinical and genetic features of psoriasis and other associated medical conditions like obesity and heart disease.

Perhaps the most significant finding of the UPI to date is the confirmation and identification of novel genetic variations that are associated with psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition with a complex genetic basis. When triggered, inflammatory cells make increased levels of cytokines. Although cytokines are important to functions such as fighting infection, an imbalance of cytokines can contribute to psoriasis. Interleukin-12 and interleukin-23 are examples of cytokines that are increased in psoriasis. Investigators from the UPI and their collaborators at Celera (a private genomics company) were able to identify several variations within genes that code for interleukin-12, interleukin-23, and their receptors that may contribute to risk of psoriasis. The results of this study were published in the February 2007 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics. Subsequently, variations in the gene that encodes interleukin-13, another cytokine involved in inflammation, also were found to associate with psoriasis. The results of this study are published in the journal Genes and Immunity.

Additionally, UPI researchers have presented numerous abstracts at National and International scientific meetings over the last 4 years, highlights include:

• smoking may affect the immune system and influence the development of psoriatic arthritis.
• patients with psoriasis in the UPI may have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
• carriers of the genetic variant in the IL-23R gene may be more likely to have their psoriasis worsen with infection.
• patients who have thick lesions of psoriasis are more likely to have significant itching than those who have thin lesions of psoriasis. This data further supports that psoriasis can be classified as being a “thick variant” or a “thin variant”.
• Women who become pregnant will often experience a consistent improvement or a consistent worsening of their psoriasis during their pregnancy. Those who improve during pregnancy are more likely to carry the major genetic variant, HLA-Cw6, than those who worsen.

For more information about the studies we are doing or have presented, please contact us at 585-7585 or 581-6465 or email Razieh Soltani-Arabshahi.