Regulatory Roles of Estrogens in Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease of the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis. The severity of psoriasis has been reported as higher in men than in women. The immunoregulatory role of female sex hormones has been proposed to be one of the factors responsible for sex differences. Among female sex hormones, estrogens have been suggested to be significantly involved in the development of psoriasis by various epidemiological and in vitro studies. For example, the severity of psoriasis is inversely correlated with serum estrogen levels. In vitro, estrogens suppress the production of psoriasis-related cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-23 from neutrophils and dendritic cells, respectively. Furthermore, a recent study using a mouse psoriasis model indicated the inhibitory role of estrogens in psoriatic dermatitis by suppressing IL-1β production from neutrophils and macrophages. Understanding the role and molecular mechanisms of female sex hormones in psoriasis may lead to better control of the disease.