Psoriasis: in between the skin and the fat

Abstract

Substantial epidemiological evidence indicates that psoriasis associates with a predisposition to develop metabolic dysregulation leading to obesity and insulin resistance. However, the nature of this association and the potential underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In a recent report, Gerdes
et al
. explored the hypothesis that wingless‐type
MMTV
integration site, Wnt5a, which has been linked to aberrant fat cell metabolism, may be driving this process. In this study, the authors compare circulating serum levels of Wnt5a in individuals with psoriasis and compare with healthy controls matched for age, gender and
BMI
. The bottom‐line results show higher levels of Wnt5a in psoriasis patients irrespective of
BMI
compared to the matched non‐psoriatic controls, indicating that psoriasis
per se
may result in increased secretion of Wnt5a into the circulation. In addition, there was a significant difference among patients with higher levels of Wnt5a in the obese psoriasis population. The study, even though being purely descriptive, may serve to inspire a more mechanistic approach exploring not only Wnt5a, but other inflammatory pathways in between the skin and the fat.