Increased expression of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors in psoriasis plaques.
Recent case reports suggest that treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists results in clinical improvement of psoriasis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) are found in the skin of healthy volunteers and psoriasis patients and if so, whether GLP-1Rs are located on keratinocytes or immune cells. Three mm-punch skin biopsies were taken for gene expression analysis from six healthy volunteers and from affected and unaffected skin of six psoriasis patients. In addition, a blood sample was obtained from all participants. Cultured human keratinocytes were either untreated or incubated with tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) or a combination of TNF-α and IFN-γ for 48 h. Total RNA was extracted from all the samples, reversely transcribed and analysed for the expression of GLP-1R using real-time PCR. Gene expression analysis showed expression of GLP-1Rs in five of six skin biopsies from psoriasis plaques, in one of six biopsies from unaffected psoriatic skin and in one of six biopsies from healthy skin. GLP-1R expression was found in the blood of both healthy volunteers and psoriasis patients. No GLP-1R expression was found in either stimulated or unstimulated cultured human keratinocytes. Our results show increased presence of GLP-1Rs in psoriasis plaques and that this most likely is due to infiltration with immune cells. This offers a possible explanation for the positive effect of treatment with GLP-1R agonists in patients with psoriasis.
Annesofie
A
Faurschou
Jens
J
Pedersen
Mette
M
Gyldenløve
Steen S
SS
Poulsen
Jens J
JJ
Holst
Jacob P
JP
Thyssen
Claus
C
Zachariae
Tina
T
Vilsbøll
Lone
L
Skov
Filip K
FK
Knop
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
C000593833:GLP1R protein, human; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma