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The following is a summary of “Profiling Long Noncoding RNA in Psoriatic Skin Using Single-Cell RNA Sequencing,” published in the May 2025 issue of Journal of Investigative Dermatology by Bogle et al. 

The expressions and roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in epidermal differentiation had been previously characterized using bulk RNA sequencing; however, despite their tissue-specific expression patterns, the annotation of most lncRNAs at the single-cell level was limited.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to profile and characterize lncRNAs using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data from paired lesional and uninvolved psoriatic skin samples of 6 individuals with psoriasis.  

They analyzed scRNAseq data to detect and measure lncRNAs across skin samples and identified the cellular sources of these transcripts from 6 individuals with paired lesional and uninvolved psoriatic skin. Differential gene expression analysis was carried out to pinpoint lncRNAs specifically altered in lesional areas compared to uninvolved skin. Spatial transcriptomic data were applied to confirm the localization and expression patterns of the identified lncRNAs.   

The results showed that over 7,000 skin-expressing lncRNAs were identified despite generally low expression levels. A total of 137 lncRNAs were differentially expressed (DE) in lesional psoriatic skin, and 169 lncRNAs displayed cell-type specificity. The highest number of DE lncRNAs was observed in keratinocytes, confirmed through spatial transcriptomic analysis. The keratinocyte-specific lncRNA AC020916.1, which was upregulated in lesional skin, significantly correlated with genes related to cell proliferation and epidermal differentiation, including SPRR2E and transcription factor ZFP36, particularly in psoriatic skin.  

Investigators concluded that this study demonstrated the utility of scRNAseq for profiling skin-expressing lncRNAs and identifying the cellular origins, providing a useful method for exploring lncRNA functions in psoriasis and potentially other inflammatory skin disorders. 

Source: jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(24)02156-0/abstract