Pharmacogenetics of Topical and Systemic Treatment of Psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. The cause of psoriasis is unknown, although genetics may play a key role in its development. Treatment of the disease varies with severity. Topical drugs, such as corticosteroids, coal tar, retinoids and vitamin D analogs, are commonly used to treat mild psoriasis. Phototherapy and systemic drugs, such as calcineurin inhibitors, methotrexate, acitretin and biological drugs, are usually used to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Not all patients respond well to treatment, and some can develop severe adverse effects. Interindividual differences in several genes may explain this variation in response to treatment. Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics can facilitate more personalized medicine and prevent the adverse effects associated with treatment.

KEYWORDS::

• biological drugs
• oral
• pharmacogenetics
• polymorphisms
• psoriasis
• response
• topical

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to T O‘Boyle for editorial assistance.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI10/01740) and the Fundación Teófilo Hernando. E Daudén has conflicts of interest (advisory board member, consultant, grants, research support, participation in clinical trials, honoraria for speaking and research support) with the following pharmaceutical companies: Abbvie (Abbott), Amgen, Astellas, Centocor Ortho Biotech, Inc., Galderma, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen-Cilag, Leo Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, MSD and Celgene. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI10/01740) and the Fundación Teófilo Hernando. E Daudén has conflicts of interest (advisory board member, consultant, grants, research support, participation in clinical trials, honoraria for speaking and research support) with the following pharmaceutical companies: Abbvie (Abbott), Amgen, Astellas, Centocor Ortho Biotech, Inc., Galderma, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen-Cilag, Leo Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, MSD and Celgene. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.