Scientific article
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Interleukin-38 overexpression in keratinocytes limits desquamation but does not affect the global severity of imiquimod-induced skin inflammation in mice

Published inFrontiers in immunology, vol. 15, 1387921
Publication date2024-07-25
First online date2024-07-25
Abstract

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that significantly impacts the patients’ quality of life. Recent studies highlighted the function of the interleukin (IL)-1 family member IL-38 in skin homeostasis and suggested an anti-inflammatory role for this cytokine in psoriasis. In this study, we generated mice specifically overexpressing the IL-38 protein in epidermal keratinocytes. We confirmed IL-38 overexpression in the skin by Western blotting. We further detected the protein by ELISA in the plasma, as well as in conditioned media of skin explants isolated from IL-38 overexpressing mice, indicating that IL-38 produced in the epidermis is released from keratinocytes and can be found in the circulation. Unexpectedly, epidermal IL-38 overexpression did not impact the global severity of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced skin inflammation, Similarly, keratinocyte activation and differentiation in IMQ-treated skin were not affected by increased IL-38 expression and there was no global effect on local or systemic inflammatory responses. Nevertheless, we observed a selective inhibition of CXCL1 and IL-6 production in response to IMQ in IL-38 overexpressing skin, as well as reduced Ly6g mRNA levels, suggesting decreased neutrophil infiltration. Epidermal IL-38 overexpression also selectively affected the desquamation process during IMQ-induced psoriasis, as illustrated by reduced plaque formation. Taken together, our results validate the generation of a new mouse line allowing for tissue-specific IL-38 overexpression. Interestingly, epidermal IL-38 overexpression selectively affected specific disease-associated readouts during IMQ-induced psoriasis, suggesting a more complex role of IL-38 in the inflamed skin than previously recognized. In particular, our data highlight a potential involvement of IL-38 in the regulation of skin desquamation.

Keywords
  • Epidermis
  • Inflammation
  • Interleukin-38
  • Psoriasis
  • Cytokines
Citation (ISO format)
HUARD, Arnaud et al. Interleukin-38 overexpression in keratinocytes limits desquamation but does not affect the global severity of imiquimod-induced skin inflammation in mice. In: Frontiers in immunology, 2024, vol. 15, p. 1387921. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1387921
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Journal ISSN1664-3224
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