Elucidating the NB-UVB mechanism by comparing transcriptome alteration on the edge and center of psoriatic plaques

Narrow band-ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) is an effective treatment for psoriasis. We aim to generate a potential mechanism of NB-UVB through comparing the transcriptomic profile before and after NB-UVB treatment between the peripheral edge of lesional skin (PE skin) and the center of lesional skin (CE skin) on the basis of molecular mechanisms of these two areas display different downstream functions. More than one-fourth of the NB-UVB-altered genes were found to be plaque-specific. Some of them were psoriasis signature genes that were downregulated by NB-UVB in, both, PE and CE skin (core alteration), such as IL36G, DEFB4A/B, S100A15, KRT16, and KRT6A. After NB-UVB treatment, the activity score of upstream cytokines, such as interferons, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, and IL-22 in pathogenesis decreased. In addition, NB-UVB could restore normal keratinization by upregulating LORICRIN and KRT2, particularly in the CE skin. Finally, we illustrated that NB-UVB is capable of suppressing molecules from the initiation to maintenance phase of plaque formation, thereby normalizing psoriatic plaques. This finding supports the usefulness of NB-UVB treatment in clinical practice and may help in the development of new treatment approaches in which NB-UVB treatment is included for patients with psoriasis or other inflammatory skin diseases.