Pruritogenic molecules in the skin of patients with dermatomyositis.

Pruritus is a common excruciating symptom in systemic autoimmune diseases such as dermatomyositis (DM) but the pathogenesis is not fully understood. We intended to investigate the targeted expression analysis of candidate molecules involved in the development of pruritus in lesional vs. non-lesional skin samples of patients affected with active DM. We looked for correlations between the investigated pruriceptive signaling molecules, disease activity, and itching sensation of DM patients. Interleukins (IL-33 and IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), and ion channels belonging to the transient receptor potential (TRP) family were analyzed. The expression of TNF-α, PPAR-γ, IL-33, IL-6, and TRP channels in lesional DM skin was evaluated by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry and was compared with non-lesional DM skin samples. Pruritus, disease activity, and damage of DM were evaluated by the 5-D itch scale and Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI), respectively. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS 28 software. A total of 17 active DM patients participated in the study. We could show that the itching score was positively correlated with the CDASI activity score (Kendall's tau-b = 0.571; Our results argue that cutaneous disease activity, TNF-α, and IL-6 might play a central role in DM-associated itch, while TRPV4 plays a central role in tissue regeneration.

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Copyright © 2023 Vincze, Herczeg-Lisztes, Szabó, Béldi, Nagy-Vincze, Pór, Varga, Dankó, Biró, Tóth and Griger.

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The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.