Platelets as novel contributors to psoriasis skin autoinflammation (C10*)

• Subject Area: Dermatology ; Clinical Immunology and Allergology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 246807620

In project C10N Weigelin and Weber will study the newly discovered role of platelets in psoriasis skin inflammation. In the first funding phase PI Weber detected platelets in psoriatic but not in healthy patient skin, and observed that in vivo depletion of circulating platelets ameliorated skin disease severity and completely abrogated PMN skin homing and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) release in the imiquimod model. Using advanced imaging methods contributed by PI Weigelin, C10N will explore the mechanism and dynamics of platelet skin homing, which functions described for platelets (degranulation, cytokine release, migration, sensitization of PMN) apply to psoriasis, and how they affect local keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts and infiltrating immune cells, as well as systemic crosstalk in psoriasis mouse models and patient samples. Our goal is a better understanding of skin inflammation and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 156: The skin as sensor and effector orchestrating local and systemic immunity
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Alexander Weber, Ph.D.; Professorin Dr. Bettina Weigelin