GRAPPA 2023 Basic Science Workshop: What to Expect From Animal Models for Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis

Animal models help to drive research into psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), particularly when studies in humans are not feasible. There are no animal models that perfectly mimic psoriatic disease (PsD) and so the pros and cons of each existing model must be considered for appropriate experimental design. Roughly, the existing animal models for PsD can be divided into 4 categories: (1) spontaneous models, (2) transgenic models, (3) inducible models, and (4) xenotransplantation models. Animal models in PsD are extremely important for dissecting and understanding molecular mechanisms of the disease process and for developing novel drugs. Animal models remain highly valuable for research in PsD in 2 scenarios. The first scenario is when complex interventions or analyses are required that are not feasible in humans due to technical, safety, or economic reasons. The second is when well-controlled study environments are required, such as dietary modifications, that would be challenging in humans. This topic was presented as part of the basic science workshops during the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting.