Around 2% of people in the UK suffer from a skin condition called psoriasis, according to the NHS (that’s well over a million people based on Office Of National Statistics data).
Psoriasis results in flaky, scaly patches of skin which can be itchy or sore. Some people find it mildly bothersome, while extreme cases can be debilitating.
We don’t know for sure what causes it, which makes it hard to treat. It’s regarded as a chronic illness because the best we can do at the moment is help to manage its symptoms.
However, research published in the journal Nature Communications suggests that a hormone called hepcidin could be the cause of the skin condition.
What is ‘hepcidin’ and how does it affect skin?
Hepcidin is a hormone that helps you to regulate your iron levels. It’s made, and usually found, in your liver.
The University of Bath, whose staff contributed to the research, says: “Studies going back 50 years have reported high iron concentrations in the skin cells of psoriatic patients.”
High levels of iron in your skin spell bad news. It can heighten your risk of developing certain bacterial infections and amplify the negative effects of UV light.
We don’t know why people with psoriasis tend to have increased iron in their skin, but the scientists behind the Nature study found that mice that were exposed to too much skin-produced hepcidin saw the same effect.
They went on to develop psoriasis-like conditions.
Skin-produced hepcidin is not usual, as the hormone usually comes from the liver.
But “the new study has found that in people with psoriasis, the hormone is also generated in the skin,” the University of Bath says.
Does that mean we’re going to find a cure for psoriasis?
It means we might be closer to finding the cause of psoriasis, which may make creating a cure easier.
“Our data strongly suggests hepcidin would be a good target for skin psoriasis treatment,” Dr Pourzand, one of the study’s authors, said.
“A drug that can control this hormone could be used to treat flare-ups and keep patients in remission to prevent recurrence.”
It may be especially useful to sufferers of pustular psoriasis, which can affect the nails and joints as well as patients’ skin, the University of Bath adds.