In this review paper, we discuss the contribution of proteomic studies to the discovery of disease-specific biomarkers to monitor the disease and evaluate available treatment options for psoriasis. Psoriasis is one of the most prevalent skin disorders driven by a Th17-specific immune response. Although potential patients have a genetic predisposition to psoriasis, the etiology of the disease remains unknown. During the last two decades, proteomics became deeply integrated with psoriatic research. The data obtained in proteomic studies facilitated the discovery of novel mechanisms and the verification of many experimental hypotheses of the disease pathogenesis. The detailed data analysis revealed multiple differentially expressed proteins and significant changes in proteome associated with the disease and drug efficacy. In this respect, there is a need for proteomic studies to characterize the role of the disease-specific biomarkers in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, develop clinical applications to choose the most efficient treatment options and monitor the therapeutic response.

No abstract

As numerous scientific data show, despite the fact that patients with severe psoriasis have a high risk of coronavirus infection, COVID-19 in this group proceeds quite easily. However, many specialists have encountered an unusual exacerbation of the psoriatic process already after the infection, the reasons for which may be several. On the one hand, the skin is one of the target organs for SARS-CoV-2, on the other hand, exacerbations may be caused by the immune system response to the infection. The influence of specific therapy on the course of the psoriatic process is also not excluded. But interleukin status of patients with psoriasis is of the greatest interest. It is known that interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays an active role in pathogenesis of COVID-19 and cytokine storm arising at infection. It is also regarded as an indicator of inflammatory activity in psoriasis. In addition, IL-6 is involved in lipid and hepatobiliary disorders in this group of patients. It is also associated with IL-17, the role of which has been well studied in psoriasis and autoimmune hepatitis. Patients with psoriasis often have changes in biochemical blood parameters, similar to those seen with COVID-19. Combinations of all these factors can lead to exacerbation of psoriasis with predominance of erythroderma and toxic component. In our opinion, in such cases it is necessary to include in the therapy a systemic hepatoprotective drug containing glycyrrhizic acid. It has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, inhibits IL-6 production and allows to achieve significant improvement of psoriatic process in a short time.

Psoriatic onychodystrophy affects up to 50% of patients with psoriasis and up to 80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis, with an estimated lifetime risk of nail plate changes in this patient population of up to 90%. Nail psoriasis is characterised by a variety of morphological changes resulting from the inflammation in the nail matrix or nail bed, leading to functional impairment and negative impact on patient’s quality of life. Psoriatic onychodystrophy is a distinct therapeutic problem, as its localization is torpid to the current treatment. The limited penetration of topical agents through the nail plate together with the poor adherence to treatment make them typically ineffective. Systemic therapy is often regarded by dermatologists as inappropriate for patients with limited cutaneous lesions. Many systemic drugs, especially biologics, are effective in treating nail psoriasis, but with delayed and less pronounced effects compared to the improvement of skin manifestations. Efficacy for nail changes should be evaluated after 3–6 months of therapy. Recent studies demonstrate that the best effect is achieved after 1 year of treatment. This article presents the main clinical features of psoriatic onychodystrophy and provides information about the interleukin 17A (IL-17A) inhibitor drug netakimab as a promising therapeutic agent for patients with nail psoriasis. It also describes our own clinical experience of using netakimab in the therapy of patients with psoriasis coupled with onychodystrophy. Our experience of using netakimab in two cases of resistant psoriasis accompanied by nail lesions demonstrates its high efficacy in treatment of patients with both plaque psoriasis and psoriasis with “difficult”, hard-to-treat locations, such as nail plate lesions.