Epiplakin expression is lost in psoriatic skin lesions and is downregulated by IFN-γ in <i>ex vivo</i> skin cultures.

ABSTRACT: Proteins of the plakin family are predominantly expressed in the epidermis and play a crucial role in cytoskeletal assembly by crosslinking intracellular structural components with cell-cell junctions and the plasma membrane. While most plakins are critical for maintaining epidermal integrity, the role of epiplakin (EPPK1) in inflammatory skin disorders has not been thoroughly investigated. We therefore used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) analysis, immunofluorescence, and ex vivo cytokine treatment of human skin explants to investigate EPPK1 regulation in psoriasis. ScRNAseq analysis of psoriatic and healthy skin revealed that EPPK1 was the only member of the plakin family showing specific downregulation in the epidermis of psoriatic lesions. This finding was corrobora

SUBMITTER: Kuhtreiber H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12310607 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature