High fat diet exacerbates imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis in mice

Abstract

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, is closely related to systemic metabolism. An elevated body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for psoriasis; inflammasomes are activated by adipose tissue macrophages in obese subjects. We hypothesized that hyperlipidemia is involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and examined the role of a high fat diet (HFD) in the development of psoriasis in imiquimod (IMQ)-treated mice. The body weight and serum level of cholesterol were significantly higher in mice fed an HFD than a regular diet (RD). HFD mice had higher psoriasis skin scores and the number of neutrophils infiltrating into the lesional skin was elevated. IL-17A mRNA expression was significantly increased in the skin of IMQ-treated HFD mice; the expression of IL-22, IL-23, and TNF-α mRNA was not enhanced. Caspase-1 and IL-1β were activated in the skin of IMQ-treated HFD mice and their serum level of IL-17A, TNF-α, and IL-1β was significantly upregulated. Our findings strongly suggest that hyperlipidemia is involved in the development and progression of psoriasis via systemic inflammation and inflammasome activation.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.