Genes and psoriasis

While psoriasis is a complex, multifactorial condition influenced by both genes and the environment, evidence suggests that an individual’s genetic makeup is a key factor in determining the severity of the disease and how the response to treatment. This means that whilst we know a great deal about the causes of the disease and which factors influence it, doctors cannot yet offer personalised treatments. It is a holy grail of psoriasis – or any disease for that matter – to offer a treatment which is individually tailored to take into account specific genetic markers.

Now a major collaboration between scientists from Newcastle Hospitals, Newcastle University and Queen Mary University of London has provided a detailed genetic analysis of clinical and biological data from a group of 46 patients being treated with biological therapies. The researchers used sophisticated computational and AI techniques to identify complex patterns of gene expression in more than 700 skin and blood samples taken from the study participants.

From the results, they were able to identify a range of molecular ‘signatures’ of disease severity and various contributory metabolic factors, including obesity.

Comment

This important study points the way to a not-too-distant future when it will be possible to tailor individual treatments on the basis of an individual’s genetic makeup. This will herald a new era, one of truly ‘personalised, therapy in which the treatments chosen and the dosages used, will provide the best possible outcome with the minimum side-effects.

Author:
Dr David Ashton MD PhD.

Reference

Rider A, Grantham HJ, Smith GR et al. Transcriptomic profiling and machine learning uncover gene signatures of psoriasis endotypes and disease severity. Commun Med (Lond), 2026; 6 (1) :65.