Comparative Transcriptomics Reveals SKH-1 Mice as a Valuable Model for Psoriasis Pathogenesis and Recurrence Studies

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunology
• Translational Medicine

Background:

• Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease requiring relevant animal models for research.
• SKH-1 mice possess skin characteristics closer to humans than C57BL/6 mice, suggesting potential as a psoriasis model.
• The suitability of SKH-1 mice for modeling psoriasis remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of the imiquimod (IMQ)-induced dermatitis model in SKH-1 mice for studying psoriasis.
• To compare the transcriptomic profiles of IMQ-induced SKH-1 mice with C57BL/6 mice and human psoriatic skin.
• To establish and evaluate a psoriasis-like recurrence model in SKH-1 mice.

Main Methods:

• Imiquimod (IMQ) induction in SKH-1 and C57BL/6 mice.
• Assessment of proliferation, barrier function, differentiation, and inflammation via qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry.
• Transcriptomic profiling using RNA sequencing on lesional and non-lesional skin samples.

Main Results:

• IMQ-induced SKH-1 mice exhibited hyperproliferation, hypodifferentiation, barrier disruption, and inflammation akin to human psoriasis.
• Transcriptomic analysis revealed the SKH-1 model's advantages in studying psoriasis pathogenesis and recurrence.
• The SKH-1 model recapitulated vascular dysregulation and disease recurrence, complementing existing models.

Conclusions:

• The IMQ-induced SKH-1 mouse model is a valuable and complementary tool for psoriasis research.
• This model accurately reflects key pathological features of human psoriasis, including inflammation and barrier defects.
• The established recurrence model offers a platform for investigating psoriasis relapse mechanisms.