Topical glycerol improved psoriasiform lesions and inhibited epidermal hyperplasia in an in vivo mouse model of psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic incurable skin disease that has been extensively studied. Although multiple treatments have been introduced, emollients are still used as a topical treatment to control several aspects of the disease. Glycerol, an emollient, has been shown to restore barrier function and accelerate wound healing. Glycerol is transported into epidermal keratinocytes via aquaporin-3 (AQP3), which is associated with the lipid-metabolizing enzyme phospholipase D2 (PLD2). PLD2 can convert glycerol to phosphatidylglycerol, which has been shown to inhibit proliferation and promote differentiation in keratinocytes in vitro.