A novel transdermal plasmid-dimethylsulfoxide delivery technique for treatment of psoriasis

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with various immunologic abnormalities. Repeated subcutaneous injection of interleukin-4 (IL-4) has been established as an effective treatment to counteract psoriasis.

Objective: We investigated whether gene therapy using IL-4 expression plasmid (pIL-4) via transdermal delivery was an alternative treatment for psoriasis. In our experiment, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was used as a penetration enhancer.

Methods: At first, the penetration efficiency of the complex of reporter plasmid accompanied by DMSO was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Then, the antipsoriasis efficiency of the treatment with pIL-4-DMSO was tested in mice.

Results: The expression of the reporter gene was detected in epidermis and dermis both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, the psoriasis symptoms were relieved, and significant reductions in some psoriasis-associated factors were observed after pIL-4-DMSO treatment.

Conclusion: We conclude that the topical application of pIL-4-DMSO can treat psoriasis to a significant extent.