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Psoriasis could soon see a major breakthrough in its treatment. Inserm researchers have just revealed an unexpected role of hepcidin, a hormone responsible for regulating iron in the body, in the development of this chronic disease.
Their work, published on September 4, 2024, paves the way for a new therapeutic approach, which could finally offer a lasting solution to the millions of people affected by psoriasis around the world.
The unexpected role of hepcidin, an iron-regulating hormone
Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, affects approximately 2 to 3% of the world’s population. Characterized by red, scaly patches, it is often accompanied by significant pain and discomfort. But despite numerous treatments aimed at alleviating the symptoms, there is currently no definitive cure. It is in this context that recent research conducted by French scientists brings new hope.
Inserm researchers, led by Carole Peyssonnaux, Inserm research director, have discovered that hepcidin plays a crucial role in the immune response involved in psoriasis. This hormone, until now mainly known for its action in iron regulation, turns out to be a key factor in the worsening of psoriasis plaques.
A promising advance for new treatments
Tests conducted on animal models have already shown encouraging results. By inhibiting hepcidin in a mouse model, the researchers were able to reduce inflammation and skin symptoms associated with psoriasis.Hepcidin plays a key role in the development of psoriasis. From our results, we show that during the onset of psoriasis, hepcidin produced by the epidermis plays a crucial role in iron retention in skin cells. Iron being an essential metal for cell proliferation, this iron retention promotes the division of epidermal cells in “psoriatic” skin. On the other hand, hepcidin-mediated iron retention also contributes to neutrophil recruitment, another characteristic of psoriatic skin lesions, particularly pustular lesions.“, specifies Carole Peyssonnaux.
Caroline Peyssonnaux clarified that “The next step would be to further explore these results, with a view to developing drugs that would block the action of hepcidin and that could therefore be beneficial to patients with psoriasis, particularly those suffering from an acute and resistant form.“This therapeutic approach could thus transform the way doctors treat this disease, which affects nearly 3 million people in France.
A prospect of hope for millions of patients
So far, available treatments, such as corticosteroid creams or systemic therapies, mainly aim to alleviate symptoms. However, they do not prevent disease progression and can cause long-term side effects. Hepcidin inhibition could therefore be a more effective and less restrictive alternative.In the future, if our results prove conclusive, such drugs could be used as maintenance therapy after a flare-up or, during remission phases, to prevent the disease from recurring. Further studies will determine whether hepcidin also plays a role in other inflammatory skin diseases.“, concludes Carole Peyssonnaux.
Despite the excitement surrounding this discovery, several challenges remain. It will take time for these treatments to pass all the regulatory stages and be available to the general public.