Epigenetics in Psoriasis

Epigenetics is defined as the study of the heritable changes in the gene expression induced by DNA-binding molecules. Increasing evidence has shown that epigenetic modifications are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases of the skin such as psoriasis. Epigenetic modifications are considered important in the pathogenesis of psoriasis as they cause aberrant increases in epidermal thickness, keratinocyte differentiation, proliferation, and inflammation. However, the information available on epigenetic modifications in association with the pathogenesis of psoriasis is inconsistent across the literature. We have reviewed the methylated genes and noncoding RNAs identified from high-throughput data or literature review and the data on molecular mechanisms and psoriasis-related biomarkers involved in DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNAs which may facilitate future research on psoriasis treatment.