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Psoriasis Vulgaris Complicated by Metabolic Syndrome Due to Higher IL-9 Levels
According to a study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, IL-9 may be a potential link between psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Researchers aimed to investigate this connection by examining the levels of IL-9 and its receptor in patients with PV and MetS, shedding light on their correlation with disease severity. The research encompassed 75 patients with PV and MetS, 57 without MetS, 20 healthy blood donors, and 7 healthy skin donors. Data on clinical parameters, demographics, and body measurements were collected, alongside assessments of fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipid profiles, and IL-9 and IL-17A serum levels. Through immunohistochemistry, the expression of IL-9 and its receptor in skin samples from both PV patients and healthy controls was gauged. Moreover, a psoriatic keratinocyte model was established using human epidermal keratinocytes, stimulated with various pro-inflammatory cytokines and treated with IL-9 to measure mRNA levels of chemokines and antimicrobial peptides.
The study revealed elevated IL-9 levels in both serum and tissue samples of patients with PV and MetS. Although IL-9 was positively correlated with IL-17A, no significant correlation emerged between IL-9 levels and the severity of psoriasis, as indicated by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Nevertheless, there was a strong positive correlation between IL-9 levels and the presence of MetS and its individual components. Specifically, IL-9 levels were linked to waist circumference, body mass index, insulin resistance, blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and inversely correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that IL-9 boosted the expression of chemokines and antimicrobial peptides in the psoriatic keratinocyte model.
“Our findings confirmed that higher IL-9 level is associated with PV complicated by MetS, suggesting that IL-9 may be a link between PV and MetS,” the authors concluded.
Reference
Yan L, Yu C, Zhao Z, Zhang Y, Wang R, Li C. Higher IL-9 Level is associated with psoriasis vulgaris complicated by metabolic syndrome. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. Published online August 23, 2023. doi:10.2147/CCID.S422355
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