Seven new DNA variations linked to psoriasis

Researchers have identified seven new DNA variations linked to psoriasis. From the press release:

In a comprehensive study of the genetic basis of psoriasis, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered seven new sites of common DNA variation that increase the risk of this troublesome skin condition. They also found that variations in one genetic region link psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis to other autoimmune disorders. ...

"Common diseases like psoriasis are incredibly complex at the genetic level," says lead investigator Anne Bowcock, Ph.D., professor of genetics at the School of Medicine. "Our research shows that small but common DNA differences are important in the development of psoriasis. Although each variation makes only a small contribution to the disease, patients usually have a number of different genetic variations that increases their risk of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis." ...

Bowcock and her team found seven novel DNA variations linked to psoriasis. Notably, DNA variations on chromosome 4 were strongly linked to psoriatic arthritis. These same variations were also associated with psoriasis and had been previously linked to type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease (caused by an overproductive thyroid gland), and celiac disease (caused by the inability to digest gluten).

The press release is worth reading in its entirety.

Kudos to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for supporting this research with funding. Would you like to see more of this type of research? Write to Congress and ask for it!