Kurzfassung

Psoriasis is a common skin condition manifested by high levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17A. Ectopic expression of IL-17A by keratinocytes leads to the development of early skin inflammation followed by vascular inflammation and dysfunction as in patients with severe psoriasis. To investigate the link between psoriasis and vascular inflammation, we will 1.) study whether inflammatory cells can migrate from the skin to the cardiovascular system. 2.) Study whether ablation of...Psoriasis is a common skin condition manifested by high levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17A. Ectopic expression of IL-17A by keratinocytes leads to the development of early skin inflammation followed by vascular inflammation and dysfunction as in patients with severe psoriasis. To investigate the link between psoriasis and vascular inflammation, we will 1.) study whether inflammatory cells can migrate from the skin to the cardiovascular system. 2.) Study whether ablation of neutrophils that invade the skin in psoriasis leads to diminished vascular disease. We will generate mice with specific deletion of CD18 in neutrophils, in order to prevent their extravasation via the vessel wall, to study the role of these cells in psoriasis-like skin disease and the associated vascular inflammation. 3) We plan to compare cytokine profiles in aorta, skin and blood of psoriatic mice to control animals and with skin and blood samples of psoriasis patients. 4) We will analyze if vascular inflammation in psoriasis can be inhibited by blocking IL-1 signaling.» weiterlesen» einklappen