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Prolactin links psychological stress to psoriasis via a fibroblast-chemokine pathway

Ge, H.; Zhou, S.; Zhao, Y.; Zhang, X.; Chen, M.; Gao, P.; Liu, S.; Mu, Q.; Fang, D.; Hou, X.; Yong, L.

2025-10-13 immunology
10.1101/2025.10.11.681540 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that forms a vicious cycle with psychological stress. Whether and how the hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) axis-mediated neuroendocrine system regulates psoriasis remains obscure. Here, we report elevated levels of the pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) in both psoriasis patients and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis mice. Mechanistically, PRL acts on dermal PRLR-expressing fibroblasts to promote the production of the chemokines CCL2 and CCL7, which then recruit monocytes/macrophages into psoriatic lesional skin, thereby activating local IL-17A-producing T cells. Accordingly, pharmacological targeting of PRL signaling inhibits the recruitment of monocytes/macrophages, decreases the frequency of IL-17A-producing T cells, and alleviates IMQ-induced psoriasis in mice. In summary, our results delineate a mechanism by which the neuroendocrine hormone PRL aggravates psoriasis and highlight a potential therapeutic strategy of inhibiting PRL-PRLR signaling, particularly in psoriasis patients experiencing psychological stress.

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