Decrease of galectin-3 in keratinocytes: A potential diagnostic marker and a critical contributor to the pathogenesis of psoriasis

Publication date: Available online 20 November 2017
Source:Journal of Autoimmunity
Author(s): Zhen-rui Shi, Guo-zhen Tan, Cui-xiang Cao, Yan-fang Han, Zhen Meng, Xiao-yong Man, Ze-xin Jiang, Yu-ping Zhang, Ning-ning Dang, Kai-hua Wei, Ding-fang Bu, Fu-tong Liu, Liangchun Wang
Psoriasis-specific proteins dysregulated in keratinocytes and involved in the pathophysiological process of psoriasis remains elusive. We report here that epidermal galectin-3 expression is significantly downregulated in lesional skin, but not in non-lesional skin in psoriasis patients, nor in a group of diseases known as psoriasiform dermatitis clinically and histologically similar to psoriasis. The deficiency of epidermal galectin-3 is sufficient to promote development of psoriatic lesions, as evidenced by more severe skin inflammation in galectin-3 knockout (gal3^−/−) mice, compared to wild-type mice, after imiquimod treatment, and in skin from gal3^−/− mice grafted onto wildtype mice. The development of psoriatic-like lesions is attributable to 1) the spontaneously tuning up of psoriasis signatures in keratinocytes through JNK pathway; and 2) neutrophil accumulation caused by the enhanced leukocyte-recruiting capacity associated with overexpression of S100A7-9 and CXCL-1, 8 in keratinocytes with impaired galectin-3 expression. Psoriasis-like skin inflammation is significantly improved in gal-3^−/− mice both by inhibition of neutrophils accumulation with a selective CXCR2 antagonist of SB225002, and by intracutaneous injection of recombinant galectin-3. Overall, these findings offer promising galectin-3-related diagnostic and therapeutic resolutions of psoriasis.



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