Keratinocyte-intrinsic BCL10/MALT1 activity initiates and amplifies psoriasiform skin inflammation

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease arising from poorly defined pathological cross-talk between keratinocytes and the immune system. BCL10 (B cell lymphoma/leukemia 10) and MALT1 (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1) are ubiquitously expressed inflammatory signaling proteins that can interact with the psoriasis susceptibility factor CARD14, but their functions in psoriasis are insufficiently understood. We report that although keratinocyte-intrinsic BCL10/MALT1 deletions completely rescue inflammatory skin pathology triggered by germline Card14 gain-of-function mutation in mice, the BCL10/MALT1 signalosome is unexpectedly not involved in the CARD14-dependent interleukin-17 receptor (IL-17R) proximal pathway. Instead, it plays a more pleiotropic role by amplifying keratinocyte responses to a series of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-17A, IL-1 beta, and TNF. Moreover, selective keratinocyte-intrinsic activation of BCL10/MALT1 signaling with an artificial engager molecule is sufficient to initiate lymphocyte-mediated psoriasiform skin inflammation, and aberrant BCL10/MALT1 activity is frequently detected in the skin of human sporadic psoriasis. Together, these results establish that BCL10/MALT1 signalosomes can act as initiators and crucial amplifiers of psoriatic skin inflammation and indicate a critical function for this complex in sporadic psoriasis

Image-based and machine learning-guided multiplexed serology test for SARS-CoV-2

We present a miniaturized immunofluorescence assay (mini-IFA) for measuring antibody response in patient blood samples. The method utilizes machine learning-guided image analysis and enables simultaneous measurement of immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgA, and IgG responses against different viral antigens in an automated and high-throughput manner. The assay relies on antigens expressed through transfection, enabling use at a low biosafety level and fast adaptation to emerging pathogens. Using severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as the model pathogen, we demonstrate that this method allows differentiation between vaccine-induced and infection-induced antibody responses. Additionally, we established a dedicated web page for quantitative visualization of sample-specific results and their distribution, comparing them with controls and other samples. Our results provide a proof of concept for the approach, demonstrating fast and accurate measurement of antibody responses in a research setup with prospects for clinical diagnostics

Phase 3 trials of ixekizumab in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis

BACKGROUND Two phase 3 trials (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3) showed that at 12 weeks of treatment, ixekizumab, a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-17A, was superior to placebo and etanercept in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. We report the 60-week data from the UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 trials, as well as 12-week and 60-week data from a third phase 3 trial, UNCOVER-1. METHODS We randomly assigned 1296 patients in the UNCOVER-1 trial, 1224 patients in the UNCOVER-2 trial, and 1346 patients in the UNCOVER-3 trial to receive subcutaneous injections of placebo (placebo group), 80 mg of ixekizumab every 2 weeks after a starting dose of 160 mg (2-wk dosing group), or 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks after a starting dose of 160 mg (4-wk dosing group). Additional cohorts in the UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 trials were randomly assigned to receive 50 mg of etanercept twice weekly. At week 12 in the UNCOVER-3 trial, the patients entered a long-term extension period during which they received 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks through week 60; at week 12 in the UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 trials, the patients who had a response to ixekizumab (defined as a static Physicians Global Assessment [sPGA] score of 0 [clear] or 1 [minimal psoriasis]) were randomly reassigned to receive placebo, 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks, or 80 mg of ixekizumab every 12 weeks through week 60. Coprimary end points were the percentage of patients who had a score on the sPGA of 0 or 1 and a 75% or greater reduction from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) at week 12. RESULTS In the UNCOVER-1 trial, at week 12, the patients had better responses to ixekizumab than to placebo; in the 2-wk dosing group, 81.8% had an sPGA score of 0 or 1 and 89.1% had a PASI 75 response; in the 4-wk dosing group, the respective rates were 76.4% and 82.6%; and in the placebo group, the rates were 3.2% and 3.9% (P<0.001 for all comparisons of ixekizumab with placebo). In the UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 trials, among the patients who were randomly reassigned at week 12 to receive 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks, 80 mg of ixekizumab every 12 weeks, or placebo, an sPGA score of 0 or 1 was maintained by 73.8%, 39.0%, and 7.0% of the patients, respectively. Patients in the UNCOVER-3 trial received continuous treatment of ixekizumab from weeks 0 through 60, and at week 60, at least 73% had an sPGA score of 0 or 1 and at least 80% had a PASI 75 response. Adverse events reported during ixekizumab use included neutropenia, candidal infections, and inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSIONS In three phase 3 trials involving patients with psoriasis, ixekizumab was effective through 60 weeks of treatment. As with any treatment, the benefits need to be weighed against the risks of adverse events. The efficacy and safety of ixekizumab beyond 60 weeks of treatment are not yet known

A world of scientific endeavors and friendships

To give readers a sense of the important contributions of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) in the development of individuals’ careers from the early 90s through the early 2000s, we asked Eugene Healy (University of Southampton, UK), Sarolta Karpati (Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary), and Lajos Kemeny (University of Szeged, Hungary) to share their experience in leadership positions in the Society during that period. They were posed several questions, presented in bold, and their responses follow their initials in the paragraphs that follow