Advancing Psoriasis Treatment: Key Gene Mutation Uncovered

United States—Australian authorities have discovered altered genes that contribute to the development of psoriasis.

Psoriasis (a chronic inflammatory disorder) goes by the name of the problem, where red, scaly, and itchy patches appear on the skin. In some cases, patients resulting in psoriatic arthritis are arising due to this disease. This condition is perhaps caused by joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, as reported by The Associated Press.

Hope for Improvement

However, the ANU researchers announced the discovery of a mutation that they hope will indicate a possible remedy. In the short term, they expect the research to result in faster disease detection and better treatment, which they believe can lead to patient discrimination.

Impact on Patient Well-being

“So many people are accused of having poor hygiene due to the plaques or even just minor skin lesions as they erupt,” said Rebecca Davey, CEO of Arthritis ACT and one of at least 500,000 Australians with psoriasis. “It’s not the individual’s fault that their skin is in the condition it’s in; psoriasis is a painful, debilitating condition.”

Rather now, there is even hope.

Path to Potential Cure

Visual Representation of Gene Mutation. Credit | Adobe Stock

Using a mouse model, investigators found a gene mutation in the IKBKB that causes a type of immune system cell, regulatory T-cells, to fail to function. Carriers of the example gene have an increased risk of getting psoriatic arthritis, which they reported in Nature Communications on March 25.

“These cells are normally considered gatekeepers of the immune system,” said Chelisa Cardinez, a postdoctoral fellow at ANU in Canberra. “However, we found that this mutation alters the function of these cells, causing them to contribute to inflammation and promote the onset of disease.”

In ten Australians with psoriasis cases, psoriatic arthritis develops.

“Studies have shown that delays in psoriatic arthritis diagnosis are linked to worse outcomes for patients,” Cardinez said in a university news release.

“By developing a better understanding of the IKBKB gene and the role it plays in promoting the onset of these diseases, we could be one step closer to one day finding a cure,” she added.

Even if no cure for psoriasis has been discovered today, treatment methods can improve the condition.

Transforming Treatment Approaches

Visual Representation of Psoriatic Arthritis. Credit | Getty images

Davey, who also suffers from psoriatic arthritis, shared her opinion that such a condition is life changing. Worse still, as she gets out of bed in the morning and is immersed in the stiffness and the pain, she may be in extreme pain.

“People don’t understand the debilitating effects these conditions can have on the individual and, in fact, a whole family when someone is in constant pain, has poor sleep from pain, and feels constantly fatigued,” she said in an ANU news release.

Medicine has helped Davey avoid larger skin eruptions, but this does not mean that she can wear every brand, and she must be wary of everything she puts on her skin.

“As a former nurse, even the constant hand washing that was required for work would cause my skin to flare up,” she said. “It’s one of the reasons why I no longer work in the hospital system.”

Davey pointed out that awareness about “invisible disabilities” like those related to this disease should be raised too, as reported by The Associated Press.

“A person might look OK from the outside,” she said, “but in reality, they are struggling on a daily basis.”