The effects of IL-20 subfamily cytokines on reconstituted human epidermis suggest potential roles in cutaneous innate defense and pathogenic adaptive immunity in psoriasis

J Immunol. 2007 Feb 15;178(4):2229-40. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.178.4.2229.

Abstract

IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, and IL-26 are members of the IL-10 family of cytokines that have been shown to be up-regulated in psoriatic skin. Contrary to IL-10, these cytokines signal using receptor complex R1 subunits that are preferentially expressed on cells of epithelial origin; thus, we henceforth refer to them as the IL-20 subfamily cytokines. In this study, we show that primary human keratinocytes (KCs) express receptors for these cytokines and that IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, and IL-24 induce acanthosis in reconstituted human epidermis (RHE) in a dose-dependent manner. These cytokines also induce expression of the psoriasis-associated protein S100A7 and keratin 16 in RHE and cause persistent activation of Stat3 with nuclear localization. IL-22 had the most pronounced effects on KC proliferation and on the differentiation of KCs in RHE, inducing a decrease in the granular cell layer (hypogranulosis). Furthermore, gene expression analysis performed on cultured RHE treated with these cytokines showed that IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, and IL-24 regulate many of these same genes to variable degrees, inducing a gene expression profile consistent with inflammatory responses, wound healing re-epithelialization, and altered differentiation. Many of these genes have also been found to be up-regulated in psoriatic skin, including several chemokines, beta-defensins, S100 family proteins, and kallikreins. These results confirm that IL-20 subfamily cytokines are important regulators of epidermal KC biology with potentially pivotal roles in the immunopathology of psoriasis.

MeSH terms

  • Acanthosis Nigricans / immunology
  • Acanthosis Nigricans / metabolism
  • Acanthosis Nigricans / pathology
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / immunology
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Cytokines / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic
  • Epidermis / immunology*
  • Epidermis / metabolism
  • Epidermis / pathology
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10 / immunology
  • Interleukins / immunology
  • Interleukins / pharmacology*
  • Keratin-16 / biosynthesis
  • Keratin-16 / immunology
  • Keratinocytes / immunology
  • Keratinocytes / metabolism
  • Keratinocytes / pathology
  • Models, Biological
  • Psoriasis / immunology*
  • Psoriasis / metabolism
  • Psoriasis / pathology
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7
  • S100 Proteins
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Up-Regulation / immunology

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Cytokines
  • Interleukins
  • KRT16 protein, human
  • Keratin-16
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7
  • S100 Proteins
  • S100A7 protein, human
  • Interleukin-10
  • interleukin 20