New Research Unveils the Role of Sugars in Psoriasis: A Game-Changer in Immune Cell Movement
A groundbreaking study has shed light on the intricate relationship between sugars, known as glycans, and immune cell movement in the context of psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease. The research, published in the journal Science Signaling, challenges previous assumptions and opens up new avenues for treating inflammatory diseases.
The paper, titled "Leukocytes have a heparan sulfate glycocalyx that regulates recruitment during psoriasis-like skin inflammation," is a collaborative effort led by Dr. Amy Saunders from Lancaster University and Dr. Douglas Dyer from the University of Manchester, with their joint PhD student, Dr. Megan Priestley, as the first author. Dr. Priestley is now a researcher at MIT.
The human body's cells, particularly those lining blood vessel walls, are adorned with a protective layer called the glycocalyx, a gel-like coating of complex sugar molecules on the cell membrane. This layer serves multiple purposes, including safeguarding blood vessel walls from mechanical and chemical damage. However, recent research has revealed its role in controlling immune cell movement throughout the body.
In a surprising twist, scientists discovered that immune cells, equipped with their own glycocalyx, shed this layer to facilitate movement from the blood into tissues during inflammatory skin diseases. This finding contradicts the earlier belief that only blood vessel walls alter their glycocalyx layer to aid this process. The shedding of the glycocalyx is a critical response to inflammation, enabling immune cells to migrate from the blood into tissues, a vital step in combating infections.
This immune cell recruitment, while beneficial in fighting infections, can also have detrimental effects, such as driving inflammatory diseases like psoriasis, which primarily affects the skin. Dr. Amy Saunders expressed her excitement about the study's findings, emphasizing the significance of the glycocalyx layer on immune cells and her hope that it will contribute to advancements in treating inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Dyer added, "Collaborating on this project has been a rewarding experience, allowing us to redefine our understanding of immune cell recruitment and potentially improve treatment strategies for inflammatory diseases." Dr. Priestley, who worked on this project during her PhD, shared her enthusiasm, hoping that this research will draw attention to the importance of sugars in the immune system.
The implications of this study extend beyond psoriasis. Designing drugs that manipulate the movement of immune cells between the blood and tissues could be a novel approach to treating both infections and inflammatory diseases. This research may significantly influence the development of drugs targeting immune cell movement into tissues.
The study was primarily funded by The Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society, with additional support from various institutions, including the University of Manchester, VIB-KU Leuven, and Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. The research team included Dr. Max Nobis and Professor Olga Zubkova.
Source: Science Signaling (2025). doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.adr0011
