Topic: Biology

Researchers found that immune cells have a sugar coating called glycocalyx that helps them move into inflamed skin during psoriasis. This discovery could lead to new treatments for the disease.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects many people worldwide. Scientists have been studying how it works to find new ways to treat it. Recently, researchers from Lancaster University and the University of Manchester made an important discovery about how immune cells move into inflamed skin during psoriasis.

They found that immune cells have their own glycocalyx, a sugar coating that helps them move out of the blood and into surrounding tissues. This is different from what was previously thought, which was that changes in the glycocalyx of blood vessel walls allowed immune cells to pass into tissues.

The team led by Dr. Amy Saunders and Dr. Douglas Dyer found that immune cells actively shed part of their sugar coating to move into inflamed skin. This shedding is a key step in the body's inflammatory response, allowing immune cells to leave the bloodstream and enter tissues where they can fight infections.

However, this same process can also contribute to disease. In psoriasis, an excessive buildup of immune cells in the skin drives ongoing inflammation and skin damage.

The study was published in Science Signaling and was primarily funded by The Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society.

Why It Matters

This discovery could lead to new treatments for psoriasis that target the sugar coating on immune cells. This is important because psoriasis affects many people worldwide, and finding effective treatments can improve their quality of life.

Key Facts

• Immune cells have a sugar coating called glycocalyx that helps them move into inflamed skin during psoriasis
• The glycocalyx is actively shed by immune cells to allow them to enter tissues
• This shedding is a key step in the body's inflammatory response
• Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects many people worldwide
• The study was published in Science Signaling and was primarily funded by The Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society

Key Terms

Glycocalyx

A sugar coating on immune cells that helps them move into inflamed skin

Implications

This discovery could lead to new treatments for psoriasis that target the sugar coating on immune cells. This is important because psoriasis affects many people worldwide, and finding effective treatments can improve their quality of life.