Induction of Alternative Proinflammatory Cytokines Accounts for Sustained Psoriasiform Skin Inflammation in IL-17C+IL-6KO Mice

J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Mar;137(3):696-705. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.10.021. Epub 2016 Oct 27.

Abstract

IL-6 inhibition has been unsuccessful in treating psoriasis, despite high levels of tissue and serum IL-6 in patients. In addition, de novo psoriasis onset has been reported after IL-6 blockade in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. To explore mechanisms underlying these clinical observations, we backcrossed an established psoriasiform mouse model (IL-17C+ mice) with IL-6-deficient mice (IL-17C+KO) and examined the cutaneous phenotype. IL-17C+KO mice initially exhibited decreased skin inflammation; however, this decrease was transient and reversed rapidly, concomitant with increases in skin Tnf, Il36α/β/γ, Il24, Epgn, and S100a8/a9 to levels higher than those found in IL-17C+ mice. A comparison of IL-17C+ and IL-17C+KO mouse skin transcriptomes with that of human psoriasis skin revealed significant correlation among transcripts of skin of patients with psoriasis and IL-17C+KO mouse skin, and confirmed an exacerbation of the inflammatory signature in IL-17C+KO mice that aligns closely with human psoriasis. Transcriptional analyses of IL-17C+ and IL-17C+KO primary keratinocytes confirmed increased expression of proinflammatory molecules, suggesting that in the absence of IL-6, keratinocytes increase production of numerous additional proinflammatory cytokines. These preclinical findings may provide insight into why patients with arthritis being treated with IL-6 inhibitors develop new onset psoriasis and why IL-6 blockade for the treatment of psoriasis has not been clinically effective.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics*
  • Keratinocytes / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phenotype
  • Psoriasis / genetics*
  • Psoriasis / metabolism
  • Skin / metabolism
  • Skin / pathology*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Il17c protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-6
  • interleukin-6, mouse