Pathophysiology of psoriasis.

ABSTRACT

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory papulosquamous disease characterized by multiple remissions and relapses. For long, it was believed to be primarily a disorder of keratinization. However, the successful use of traditional immunosupressants and newer immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of psoriasis led to the belief that psoriasis is primarily a disease of Th1 cell immune dysregulation. Recent developments have brought up several new findings such as the role of Th17 cells and evidence of skin barrier dsysfunction in psoriasis, akin to atopic dermatitis. The present review aims to focus on these new developments and explain the pathogenesis of psoriasis on the basis of currently available information.