The following is a summary of “Long Noncoding RNA LINC00958 Is Induced in Psoriasis Epidermis and Modulates Epidermal Proliferation,” published in the June 2023 issue of Investigative Dermatology by Luo et al.

Psoriasis is a prevalent, immune-mediated skin disease marked by epidermal hyperproliferation and chronic skin inflammation. Long noncoding RNAs are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides with essential regulatory functions. Regarding the contribution of long noncoding RNAs to psoriasis, little is known as of yet. LINC00958 is a long noncoding RNA overexpressed in keratinocytes (KCs) from psoriasis skin lesions, as determined by a transcriptomic screen on KCs sorted from psoriasis and healthy skin. 

Using RT-qPCR and single-molecule in situ hybridization, elevated levels of LINC00958 in psoriasis KCs were confirmed. LINC00958 is primarily localized in the cytoplasm of KCs, as determined by confocal microscopy and subcellular fraction analysis. IL-17A, a key cytokine in psoriasis, induced LINC00958 in KCs via the C/EBP- and p38 pathways. As determined by Ki-67 expression, live cell analysis imaging, and 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine assays, LINC00958 inhibited proliferation. Transcriptomic analysis of KCs depleted of LINC00958 revealed an enrichment of genes involved in cell proliferation and the cell cycle among differentially expressed transcripts. 

In addition, LINC00958 depletion decreased both basal and IL-17A-induced p38 phosphorylation. In addition, the inhibition of LINC00958 counteracted the IL-17A-induced proliferation of KC. In conclusion, our findings support a role for LINC00958, an IL-17A-induced long non-coding RNA, in the pathological circuits of psoriasis by reinforcing IL-17A-induced epidermal hyperproliferation.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022202X22029050