Sleep Loss and Cytokines Levels in an Experimental Model of Psoriasis

Abstract

Up to 80% of people develop a cutaneous condition closely connected to their exposure to stressful life events. Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disorder with multifactorial etiology, including genetic background, environmental factors, and immune system disturbances with a strong cytokine component. Moreover, psoriasis is variably associated with sleep disturbance and sleep deprivation. This study evaluated the influence of sleep loss in the context of an animal model of psoriasis by measuring cytokine and stress-related hormone levels. Male adult Balb/C mice with or without psoriasis were subjected to 48 h of selective paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD). Sleep deprivation potentiated the activities of kallikrein-5 and kallikrein-7 in the skin of psoriatic groups. Also, mice with psoriasis had significant increases in specific pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12) and decreases in the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) after PSD, which were normalized after 48 h of sleep rebound. Linear regression showed that IL-2, IL-6 and IL-12 levels predicted 66% of corticosterone levels, which were selectively increased in psoriasis mice subject to PSD. Kallikrein-5 was also correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines, explaining 58% of IL-6 and IL-12 variability. These data suggest that sleep deprivation plays an important role in the exacerbation of psoriasis through modulation of the immune system in the epidermal barrier. Thus, sleep loss should be considered a risk factor for the development of psoriasis.

Sleep Quality and its Association with Disease Severity in Psoriasis

“…In an experimental model of psoriasis, it has been suggested that sleep disturbance plays a dominant role in the exacerbation of psoriasis via the dysregulation of the immune mechanisms in the epidermal barrier. Thus, sleep disturbance should be considered as a risk factor for the development of psoriasis [14]. Our study presents additional confirmation that besides sleep disturbances, patients with psoriasis have substantially impaired sleep quality compared with general healthy people [11,12,15].…”

Could adult female acne be associated with modern life?

“…A protocol of 5 days of sleep restriction induced a higher production of IL-6, IL-1b and IL-17 in healthy male volunteers [73]. In support of this idea, Hirotsu and collaborators [35] reported that sleep deprivation increased the activity of kallikreins-5 and 7, which are polypeptides with proteolytic activity associated with animal model of psoriasis. Furthermore, concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-12 increased while IL-10 decreased, indicating that sleep loss is a risk factor for psoriasis.…”

Immunological and histological evaluation of clinical samples from psoriasis patients treated with anti-CD6 itolizumab

“…50,51 Once activated, keratinocytes produce IL-6 and IL-8, 52,53 which sustain inflammation and promote abnormal keratinocyte proliferation. 40 IL-6 induces an acute inflammatory reaction and also supports the activation of lymphocytes, which may increase serum levels of IL-6 in an inflammation-promoting positive feedback loop, 54 while IL-8 provides a strong chemotactic signal resulting in neutrophil and T lymphocyte recruitment to the skin lesion. 55 Thus, these cytokines are a hallmark in the network of cytokines that characterize psoriasis, 52 and together with constant proliferation of keratinocytes contribute to the perpetuation of the disease.…”