Genetic Analysis of 1.1 Million People Identifies 50 Potential Drug Targets for Psoriasis

A study combining genomic data from more than 1.1 million people with single-cell analysis has shed light on the specific mechanisms underlying psoriasis. The researchers also identified 50 genes that could serve as targets for drug development.

According to Azure Life Sciences on the 18th (local time), a research team led by Professor Won Hong-hee of Sungkyunkwan University’s Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences (SAIHST) published the findings online in the international journal Nature Communications on Aug. 27.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting about 2% of the global population, causing red, scaly patches on the skin. It is not simply a skin disease but an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues.

The team integrated and analyzed genomic data from more than 1.1 million people and identified 125 genetic susceptibility loci closely associated with psoriasis. Seventeen of these loci had not been reported in previous studies.

The researchers then applied single-cell transcriptomic analysis to skin samples from healthy people and patients with psoriasis to identify specific cell populations directly involved in disease development.

The analysis showed that myeloid cells and T cells in the immune system interact in complex ways with keratinocytes on the skin’s surface and vascular endothelial cells, coordinating signaling that can trigger excessive inflammation.

The team mapped multidimensional interactions among cells across multiple skin layers and, through a rigorous screening process, identified 50 genes as potential therapeutic targets for psoriasis.

Professor Won Hong-hee said, “This study clearly identified the genetic factors and cell types involved in psoriasis pathology by combining large-scale genomic data with precise cell transcriptomic analysis,” adding, “We expect it to become an important milestone for personalized immune-modulating treatments and drug development.”

The study was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.