Use of cytokine expression to predict skin inflammation; methods of treatment

Abstract

Provided are methods for diagnosing the propensity of a subject to develop skin inflammation, in particular, psoriasis. Also provided are methods of treatment with antagonists of IL-17, IL-19, and/or IL-23.

1 . A method of evaluating the propensity of a subject to develop an inflammatory skin disorder comprising:
 a) obtaining a sample of skin from the subject; and   b) quantifying the level of IL-17 or IL-19 expression in the sample.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the IL-17 or IL-19 expression is mRNA expression. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of IL-17 or IL-19 expression is quantified by real-time PCR. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory skin disorder is cutaneous inflammation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cutaneous inflammation is psoriasis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the skin sample is from both lesional and non-lesional psoriatic skin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the level of IL-17 expression in the skin sample is an average value between 5 and 20 fold higher than normal skin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the level of IL-19 expression in the skin sample is an average value of between 5 and 130 fold higher than normal skin. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has:
 a) a family history of psoriasis; or   b) previously presented psoriatic symptoms.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         11 . A method of preventing skin inflammation comprising administering to a subject exhibiting a propensity to develop skin inflammation:
 a) an antagonist of IL-17;   b) an antagonist of IL-23;   c) an antagonist of IL-19; or   c) an antagonist of at least two cytokines selected from the group consisting of IL-17, IL-19, and IL-23.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the skin inflammation is cutaneous inflammation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cutaneous inflammation is psoriasis. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject expresses an average value of at least 5 fold higher IL-17 expression in a non-lesional psoriatic skin sample compared to a normal skin sample, as quantified by real-time PCR. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject expresses an average value of at least 20 fold higher IL-19 expression in a non-lesional psoriatic skin sample compared to a normal skin sample as quantified by real-time PCR. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the antagonist of IL-17, IL-19, and/or IL-23 is an:
 a) antibody or binding fragment thereof;   b) siRNA; or   c) a small molecule inhibitor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the antibody is:
 a) a polyclonal antibody;   b) a monoclonal antibody;   c) a humanized antibody;   d) a bi-specific antibody.