Researchers from Kings College London, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Newcastle University have created a detailed skin map revealing that development cellular processes are re-activated in cells in inflammatory skin patients. The scientists discovered that psoriasis and eczema patients’ skin share the same molecular pathways as developing skin cells. The discovery is a huge milestone that offers possible new treatment targets for these skin diseases.
Results offer insight to studies in other inflammatory diseases
The findings offer new insight into inflammatory diseases. It thus opens avenues for research into other diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis. The global Human Cell Atlas’s focus is mapping all cell types in the human body because a comprehensive atlas of developing and adult skin is vital for researchers globally. Most importantly, it could offer a regenerative medicine template that will help researchers to grow skin in the lab.
Normally, the skin acts as a barrier that protects against invading viruses and bacteria thus playing a vital role in our health. However, inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic eczema are chronic conditions in which the immune system becomes overactive. This can cause painful flaky or itchy skin that is prone to infections. Although these conditions are debilitating in people’s lives, the cause or trigger of the diseases is unknown, with no available cure. Current treatments only aim at relieving symptoms and not the cause.
Psoriasis and eczema skins cells’ cellular mechanism similar to developing cells
The skin is a complex tissue comprising of different cell types. To understand how the skin forms and the correlation with adult health and disease, the scientists studied developing skin cells and compared them with biopsies of psoriasis and eczema patients to those of healthy adults. Using proprietary single cell tech and machine learning, the researchers analyzed almost 500,000 individual skin cells to establish the switch in genes in each cell.
Researchers from Kings College London, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Newcastle University have created a detailed skin map revealing that development cellular processes are re-activated in cells in inflammatory skin patients. The scientists discovered that psoriasis and eczema patients’ skin share the same molecular pathways as developing skin cells. The discovery is a huge milestone that offers possible new treatment targets for these skin diseases.
Results offer insight to studies in other inflammatory diseases
The findings offer new insight into inflammatory diseases. It thus opens avenues for research into other diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis. The global Human Cell Atlas’s focus is mapping all cell types in the human body because a comprehensive atlas of developing and adult skin is vital for researchers globally. Most importantly, it could offer a regenerative medicine template that will help researchers to grow skin in the lab.
Normally, the skin acts as a barrier that protects against invading viruses and bacteria thus playing a vital role in our health. However, inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic eczema are chronic conditions in which the immune system becomes overactive. This can cause painful flaky or itchy skin that is prone to infections. Although these conditions are debilitating in people’s lives, the cause or trigger of the diseases is unknown, with no available cure. Current treatments only aim at relieving symptoms and not the cause.
Psoriasis and eczema skins cells’ cellular mechanism similar to developing cells
The skin is a complex tissue comprising of different cell types. To understand how the skin forms and the correlation with adult health and disease, the scientists studied developing skin cells and compared them with biopsies of psoriasis and eczema patients to those of healthy adults. Using proprietary single cell tech and machine learning, the researchers analyzed almost 500,000 individual skin cells to establish the switch in genes in each cell.
Surprisingly, the researchers found that skin cells and developing cells had the same cellular mechanism. Psoriasis and eczema skin cells send the same molecular signals, which overactive immune cells, thus causing the disease.
