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The problem with upward mobility

Nature Medicine volume 13, pages 786–787 (2007)Cite this article

In psoriasis, expression of the α1β1 integrin is necessary for T cells to enter the epidermis to cause inflammation and psoriatic lesions (pages 836–842).

“To leave a trail of silver scale about the house and blood-stains on the sheets and to fear the public gaze – this is a cruel fate.” With these words, Professor John T. Ingram aptly described the “heartbreak” of psoriasis in 1954 (ref. 1). In this issue of Nature Medicine, Conrad et al. show that immune cells must undergo integrin α1β1–mediated traversal of the basement membrane and enter the epidermis in order to initiate a psoriatic skin lesion, identifying this early step as a potential therapeutic target for this distressing skin disease2.

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Figure 1: Antibodies to α1β1 integrin block emigration of T cells into the epidermis, aborting development of psoriasis lesions.

Katie Ris

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Johann E. Gudjonsson and James T. Elder are in the Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0932, USA. jelder@med.umich.edu,

    Johann E Gudjonsson & James T Elder

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  1. Johann E Gudjonsson
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  2. James T Elder
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Gudjonsson, J., Elder, J. The problem with upward mobility. Nat Med 13, 786–787 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0707-786

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