Search Results (194)

Background: Bimekizumab, secukinumab, and ixekizumab are IL-17-targeting biologics approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. While secukinumab and ixekizumab selectively inhibit IL-17A, bimekizumab targets both IL-17A and IL-17F, potentially providing greater anti-inflammatory efficacy. This study aimed to compare the real-world effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of these agents in a Polish dermatology center between 2019 and 2024. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 98 patients meeting at least one of the following criteria: PASI ≥ 10, BSA ≥ 10, DLQI ≥ 10, or involvement of special areas with inadequate response or contraindications to ≥2 systemic therapies. Patients with prior exposure only to IL-17 inhibitors were excluded. PASI, BSA, and DLQI scores were recorded at baseline, week 4, and week 12. Due to differences in dosing schedules, outcomes were aligned using standardized timepoints and exponential modeling of continuous response trajectories. Mixed-effects ANOVA was used to assess the influence of baseline factors (age, BMI, PsA status) on treatment outcomes. Adverse events were documented at each monthly follow-up visit. Results: Bimekizumab showed the greatest effect size for PASI reduction (Hedges’ g = 3.662), followed by secukinumab (2.813) and ixekizumab (1.986). Exponential modeling revealed a steeper response trajectory with bimekizumab (intercept = 0.289), suggesting a more rapid PASI improvement. The efficacy of bimekizumab was particularly notable in patients who were previously treated with IL-23 inhibitors. All three agents demonstrated favorable safety profiles, with no serious adverse events or discontinuations. The most frequent adverse events were mild and included upper respiratory tract infections and oral candidiasis. Conclusions: This real-world analysis confirmed that IL-17 inhibitors effectively improved PASI, BSA, and DLQI scores in moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Bimekizumab demonstrated the most rapid early improvements and a higher modeled likelihood of complete clearance, without significant differences at week 12. All agents were well tolerated, underscoring the need for further individualized, large-scale studies. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease linked to systemic comorbidities, including metabolic, cardiovascular, and autoimmune disorders. Thyroid dysfunction, particularly hypothyroidism, has been observed in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, suggesting possible shared inflammatory pathways. Objectives: This study aims to explore the relationship between psoriasis and thyroid dysfunction in adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis undergoing biologic therapy to determine whether psoriasis predisposes individuals to thyroid disorders and to identify demographic or clinical factors influencing this association. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study included adult patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving biologic therapy, recruited from the Psoriasis Unit at the Dermatology Department of Hospital Universitario San Cecilio in Granada, Spain, from 2017 to 2023. Patients with mild psoriasis or those treated with conventional systemic therapies were excluded. The data collected included demographics and clinical characteristics, such as age, sex, BMI (body mass index), and psoriasis severity (psoriasis severity was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) involvement, Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA), pruritus severity using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and impact on quality of life through the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)). Thyroid dysfunction, including hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism, was assessed based on records from the Endocrinology Department. Results: Thyroid dysfunction was found in 4.2% of patients, all classified as hypothyroidism, primarily subclinical. The affected patients were generally older, with a mean age of 57.4 years. No significant differences in psoriasis severity (PASI, BSA) or treatment response were observed between patients with and without thyroid dysfunction. Conclusion: Our findings suggest hypothyroidism is the main thyroid dysfunction in psoriatic patients, independent of psoriasis severity. The lack of impact on psoriasis severity suggests hypothyroidism may be an independent comorbidity, warranting further research into shared inflammatory mechanisms. Full article

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes significant deterioration of the quality of life, and due to its multifactorial causes, it is often difficult to manage. Apart from genetic and environmental components, an important part of its pathophysiology comprises an oxidative stress induction that the standard antioxidative mechanisms of the human body cannot compensate for. Moreover, in many psoriatic patients, there is a documented imbalance between antioxidant and pro-oxidative factors. Usually, psoriasis is evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. It has been demonstrated that dietary choices can lead to significant modification of PASI scores. Hypocaloric diets that are rich in antioxidants are highly effective in this regard, especially when focusing on vegetables and restricting consumption of animal-derived protein. Specific dietary regimens, namely the Mediterranean diet and potentially the ketogenic diet, are very beneficial, in the former case owing in large part to the omega-three fatty acids it provides and its ability to alter gut microbiome, a factor which seems to play a notable role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Another option is the topical application of vitamin D and its analogues, combined with corticosteroids, which can ameliorate the manifestations of psoriasis at the level of the skin. Finally, oral vitamin D supplementation has a positive impact on psoriatic arthritis and can mitigate the risk of associated comorbidities. Full article

Identifying immunologic predictors of clinical responses remains an unmet need in the era of biologic therapy for psoriasis. Super responders (SRs), defined as patients achieving complete skin clearance within weeks of treatment initiation, represent an emerging clinical endotype; however, their immunological profiles remain insufficiently characterized. We conducted a prospective observational study to characterize serum cytokine profiles associated with SR status in biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with secukinumab, an IL-17A inhibitor. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled and stratified at week 12 into SR (PASI = 0; n = 9) and non-super responder (NSR; PASI > 0; n = 19) groups. Serum concentrations of 19 cytokines were analyzed at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. SRs displayed a distinct immunological signature characterized by significantly higher IL-13 and lower IL-18 baseline levels compared to NSRs (p = 0.002 and p = 0.007, respectively), alongside reduced baseline monocyte counts. L1-regularized logistic regression confirmed IL-13 and IL-18 as strong independent predictors of SR status (AUC = 0.91). Moreover, the IL-18/IL-13 ratio emerged as a highly discriminative biomarker (p = 0.00001, AUC = 0.86). Notably, SRs exhibited a more pronounced decline in IL-18 and IL-23 during treatment. Our findings provide novel insights into the immunopathogenesis of super response and suggest that an immunological milieu favoring Th2 polarization may promote superior outcomes with IL-17A blockade. Incorporating IL-13, IL-18, and their ratio into clinical algorithms may facilitate precision-guided biologic therapy in psoriasis. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a strong psychosomatic component. While clinical severity is traditionally measured using the PASI and BSA, subjective symptoms such as itch, pain, and burning sensation significantly impact patients’ quality of life and remain under-assessed. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study on 299 adult patients with psoriasis evaluated at a tertiary dermatology center in Italy. Data on itch, pain, and burning were collected using validated patient-reported outcome measures. Disease severity (PASI and BSA) and quality of life (DLQI) were recorded. Associations between symptoms and clinical variables were statistically analyzed. Results: Itch was the most frequent symptom, reported by 73% of patients in the previous 4 weeks. Burning and pain were reported by 43% and 27%, respectively. Longer disease duration was associated with increased itch and burning (p < 0.05). Patients receiving systemic treatment showed significantly fewer symptoms (p < 0.05). Higher PASI and BSA scores correlated with a greater itch intensity. Importantly, significant symptoms were also reported by patients with low clinical severity. Higher DLQI scores were associated with increased symptom burden and emotional distress. Conclusions: Subjective symptoms such as itch, burning, and pain are frequent, clinically relevant, and not always proportional to visible disease severity. These findings underscore the need for routine symptom assessment in psoriasis and support a patient-centered approach in both clinical practice and therapeutic strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory condition that primarily affects the musculoskeletal system and skin. While biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs have improved treatment, many patients still fail to achieve remission. Combining conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) with biologic (b) DMARDs or targeted synthetic (ts) DMARDs shows no added benefit over monotherapy with IL-17, IL-23 inhibitors, or JAK inhibitors, unlike TNFi, which benefit from csDMARD co-administration. Guselkumab (GUS) and risankizumab (RKZ) target IL-23 with high specificity. RCTs (DISCOVER 1 and 2, COSMOS) have confirmed GUS efficacy regardless of methotrexate (MTX) use, though liver toxicity was higher with MTX. Real-world data on GUS remain limited, with gaps in understanding its long-term effectiveness and drug survival. The aim of this study is to assess the following three points within a multicenter Italian real-life cohort of PsA patients treated with guselkumab (GUS) and followed for 12 months: (1) effectiveness and safety of GUS; (2) drug retention rate (DRR) and reasons for discontinuation; (3) impact of comorbidities on achieving minimal disease activity (MDA). Methods: This study utilized data from the GISEA registry, which includes centers in different parts of Italy (north, center, south, and islands), and included patients aged 18 and older diagnosed with PsA according to the CASPAR criteria. Results: Data on 170 PsA patients treated with GUS were collected. In the first 6 months, a prompt mean percentage improvement in all clinimetric indexes was observed compared to the baseline. At 6-month follow-up, ACR 20 was reached by 60% of patients, ACR 50 by 30%, ACR 70 by 15%, MDA by 28%, and DAPSA < 14 by 50% of patients in the overall group. Significant differences were found in the rate of ACR 50 in the bDMARD-naive group (50%) compared to one bDMARDs non-responder (NR) (8%) (p = 0.021). At 12-month follow-up, a notable gap was observed in the rate of patients reaching MDA between bDMARD-naive (60%) and one bDMARDs NR (22%) (p = 0.035) and between bDMARD-naive (60%) and ≥2 bDMARDs NRs (22%) (p = 0.024). By using multivariate binary logistic analysis, the predictors of reaching MDA at 12-month follow-up were naive bDMARDs (OR: 7.9, 95% CI: 1.3–44.8, p = 0.019) and a higher value of pGA at baseline (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1–1.5; p = 0.046). The presence of comorbidities, including fibromyalgia and obesity, did not seem to affect the reaching of MDA. At 12-month follow-up, the GUS retention rate was 76%, with a mean survival time of 10.5 months ± 0.2 (95% CI: 10–10.9). No significant differences in GUS survival time were found among bDMARD-naive, one bDMARDs NR, and ≥2 bDMARDs NR patients (in the latter, regardless of the previous mechanism of action: TNFi or other mechanism), as well as between patients treated with GUS in monotherapy and those treated in combination with csDMARDs. A low rate (17%) of discontinuation was found due to both primary NR and secondary NR. The high safety of GUS was recorded. In fact, discontinuation due to adverse events (all definable as minor) was observed in just 4% of patients. By using COX regression multivariate analysis, the factors associated with higher GUS discontinuation risk were a more severe baseline PASI (HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1–1.1, p = 0.038) and higher baseline ESR (HR:1.06, 95% CI: 1–1.03, p = 0.05). Conclusions: Good performance of GUS was observed in both biologic-naive patients and those with failure of previous bDMARDs (regardless of the mechanism of action of the previous drug: TNFi or non-TNFi), presenting good persistence in therapy even when used as a third mechanism of action. Its high safety profile allows the use of GUS even in particularly complex patients. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a persistent, inflammatory skin disease with autoimmune characteristics. Beyond the obvious signs of skin lesions, it has negative systemic repercussions that impair the patient’s quality of life. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) alone or in combination with Vitamin E in the treatment of mild to moderate active psoriasis vulgaris. Methods: This study was an open-label, prospective, randomized, controlled interventional clinical trial conducted at Cairo Hospital for Dermatology and Venereology (Al-Haud Al-Marsoud). In total, 45 patients with mild to moderate symptoms were randomly assigned to three groups, with fifteen patients each, as follows: the control group received the standard psoriatic treatment of topical steroids and salicylic acid; the acetylcysteine group received standard psoriatic treatment in addition to NAC 600 mg per day 30 min prior to breakfast for 8 weeks; and the acetylcysteine and Vitamin E group received standard psoriatic treatment in addition to NAC 600 mg per day, in a similar way of dosing like the previous group, and Vitamin E 1000 mg per day. All participants performed a comprehensive assessment including hematological parameters, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), malondialdehyde (MDA), and interleukin-36 gamma (IL-36γ). Results: The treatment strategy involving the use of NAC alone and in combination with Vitamin E showed significant improvement in the assessed parameters compared to the control group receiving conventional therapy. The acetylcysteine group showed improvements of 41% in PASI and 49.4% in DLQI, a decrease of 34.3% in MDA, and a decrease of 31% in IL-36γ. Similarly, the acetylcysteine and Vitamin E group showed improvements of 52% in PASI and 42% in DLQI, a decrease of 37% in MDA, and a decrease of 35% in IL-36γ. There were no significant differences found between the N-acetylcysteine and N-acetylcysteine and Vitamin E groups. Moreover, significant positive correlations were found between MDA, IL-36γ, and PASI at baseline and after the third follow-up. Conclusions: This study found promising therapeutic benefits in the addition of NAC to the conventional therapy in psoriatic patients with mild to moderate symptoms, as it significantly improved psoriasis disease outcomes and improved the patient’s quality of life. However, the addition of Vitamin E to the NAC regimen did not show additional benefits. Full article

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-12/23, IL-17A, and IL-17F are key proinflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Biologic therapies targeting these interleukins have demonstrated clinical efficacy. However, the exact relationship between their serum levels and clinical response remains unclear. The aims of this study are to assess changes in cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-12/23, IL-17A, IL-17F) after 12 weeks of biologic treatment in psoriasis to test if there is any correlation between their serum level and PASI (Psoriasis Area Severity Index) and DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index) scores before or after treatment and to check the influence of clinical and lifestyle factors on these levels. Methods: In this prospective study, 36 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis receiving anti-TNF-α, anti-IL-17, or anti-IL-23 therapy were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. The serum levels of these cytokines were measured using the ELISA technique. Clinical response was evaluated using PASI and DLQI scores. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between interleukins’ serum levels and these scores. Results: A significant decrease in TNF-α levels and DLQI and PASI scores was observed after 12 weeks across all treatments. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.391, p = 0.018) was found between serum TNF-α levels and PASI scores at week 12. Conclusions: The serum levels of TNF-α are significantly correlated with PASI scores following 12 weeks of biologic therapy, supporting their potential role as a biomarker for monitoring treatment efficacy in psoriasis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease increasingly linked to psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Shared inflammatory pathways, including elevated IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17, may link psoriasis with psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. The bidirectional interaction between systemic inflammation and mental health may exacerbate the disease burden and affect treatment outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities in patients with psoriasis and to explore potential demographic and clinical correlations. Assessing these correlations contributes to a better understanding of the mental health status of psoriasis patients, potentially influencing both therapeutic efficacy and quality of life. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study on 316 patients with clinically and histopathologically confirmed psoriasis, evaluated between January 2021 and March 2025 at the Clinical Railway Hospital in Iași, Romania. Psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities were assessed through clinical interviews, medical record reviews, and standardized tools including AUDIT-C, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, and the Binge Eating Scale. Psoriasis severity was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Results: Of 316 participants, 88 (27.8%) had psychiatric/behavioral comorbidities. The most frequent conditions were tobacco use disorder (11.1% overall; 39.8% among comorbid patients), alcohol use disorder (9.2%; 32.9%), binge eating (7.9%; 28.4%), anxiety (6.3%; 22.7%), and depression (4.1%; 14.8%). Additional diagnoses included personality disorders, dementia, PTSD, and sleep disorders. Conclusions: Psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities, particularly substance use disorders, are relatively common in patients with psoriasis. These findings support the need for regular mental health screening and integrated care approaches in psoriasis management. Full article

The characterization of dimensional stone deposits is essential for quarry assessment and design. However, uncertainties in mapping and designing pose significant challenges. To address this issue, an innovative approach is initiated to develop a virtual reality model by integrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry for surface modeling and Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) for subsurface deposit imaging. This strategy offers a cost-effective, time-efficient, and safer alternative to traditional surveying methods for challenging mountainous terrain. UAV methodology involved data collection using a DJI Mavic 2 Pro (20 MP camera) with 4 K resolution images captured at 221 m altitude and 80 min flight duration. Images were taken with 75% frontal and 70% side overlaps. The Structure from Motion (SfM) processing chain generated high-resolution outputs, including point clouds, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), Digital Surface Models (DSMs), and orthophotos. To ensure accuracy, five ground control points (GCPs) were established by a Real-Time Kinematic Global Navigation Satellite System (RTK GNSS). An ERT method known as vertical electric sounding (VES) revealed subsurface anomalies like solid rock mass, fractured zones and areas of iron leaching within marble deposits. Three Schlumberger (VES-1, 2, 3) and two parallel Wenner (VES-4, 5) arrays to a depth of 60 m were employed. The resistivity signature acquired by PASI RM1 was analyzed using 1D inversion technique software (ZondP1D). The integrated outputs of photogrammetry and subsurface imaging were used to design an optimized quarry with bench heights of 30 feet and widths of 50 feet, utilizing open-source 3D software (Blender, BIM, and InfraWorks). This integrated approach provides a comprehensive understanding of deposit surface and subsurface characteristics, facilitating optimized and sustainable quarry design and extraction. This research demonstrates the value of an innovative approach in synergistic integration of UAV photogrammetry and ERT, which are often used separately, for enhanced characterization, decision-making and promoting sustainable practices in dimensional stone deposits. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, multi-system inflammatory disease frequently associated with metabolic syndrome and lipid disturbances. Apolipoproteins, as essential regulators of lipid metabolism, may play a critical role in these metabolic abnormalities, potentially influencing disease severity and systemic inflammation. The aim of this study was to compare serum concentrations of chosen apolipoproteins in patients with psoriasis before and after treatment with acitretin or narrowband UVB (NB-UVB). Methods: This study was conducted on 39 patients with psoriasis. The concentration of nine apolipoproteins and C-reactive protein was quantified using the Bio-Plex Immunoassay Kit. Results: The serum concentrations of ApoA2, ApoC1, ApoD, ApoE, and ApoJ were higher in the acitretin group compared to the NB-UVB group before treatment, while the ApoA1/ApoA2 ratio was lower. We also observed a negative association between the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and ApoA1/ApoA2 ratio in the patients before the treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study confirm the presence of metabolic disturbances in psoriatic patients. The treatment with NB-UVB or acitretin did not cause any significant changes in the apolipoproteins profile. Thus, we found no detrimental impact of acitretin on the apolipoproteins profile, despite the observed rise in total cholesterol concentration after the treatment. Further research is needed to explore whether specific therapeutic approaches can modify these disturbances and potentially improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes in this population. Full article

Background: The low solubility and poor skin permeability of sulfasalazine (SLZ) present significant challenges for its effective topical delivery. The objective of the current investigation is to formulate a hydrogel-based SLZ-loaded cyclodextrin nanosponge for topical therapy in psoriasis. Methods: SLZ-loaded nanosponges were prepared by the melt polymerization method and evaluated for physiochemical characteristics, drug release, and cytocompatibility. The selected nanosponges (SLZ-NS4) were transformed to hydrogel and further evaluated for rheology, texture, safety, skin permeability, and in vivo for anti-psoriatic effect in mouse tail and imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation models in mice. Results: Physiochemical data confirms nanoscale architecture, drug inclusion in nanosponges, crystalline structure, and formulation stability. The release profile of SLZ-NS4 revealed sustained release behavior (22.98 ± 2.24% in 3 h). Cytotoxicity assays indicated negligible toxicity against THP1 cells, resulting in higher viability of cells than pure SLZ (p < 0.05). The HET-CAM assay confirmed the safety, while confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated deeper skin permeation of SLZ. In the mouse tail model, a remarkable decline in relative epidermal thickness, potential improvement in percent orthokeratosis, and drug activity with respect to control was observed in animals treated with SLZ-NS4 hydrogel. The efficiency of the developed SLZ-NS4-loaded hydrogel in treating psoriasis was confirmed by the decline in PASI score (81.68 ± 3.61 and 84.86 ± 5.74 with 1 and 2% w/v of SLZ-NS-HG). Histopathological analysis and assessment of oxidative stress markers revealed the profound anti-psoriatic potential of the fabricated SLZ-NS4 hydrogel. Conclusions: These findings highlight the profound potential of the developed delivery system as an effective topical therapy for psoriasis. Full article

Background/Objective: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Studies on adult population have confirmed that there is an association between psoriasis and metabolic as well as cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory potential and the association of psoriasis with metabolic and cardiovascular risk by analyzing serum concentrations of homocysteine, adiponectin, resistin, leptin, and pentraxin 3 in pediatric patients with psoriasis. Additionally, the study explored correlations between these biomarkers and psoriasis severity. Methods: The study included 75 pediatric patients (47 girls and 28 boys) aged 2–17 years with clinically confirmed psoriasis. In addition, 28 healthy children (15 girls and 13 boys) without psoriasis, metabolic or inflammatory diseases made up the control group. Psoriasis severity was evaluated using the scales psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and the body surface area (BSA). Serum concentrations of homocysteine, adiponectin, pentraxin 3, resistin, and leptin were measured in both groups. Results: Children with psoriasis exhibited higher serum levels of homocysteine, resistin, leptin, and pentraxin 3 and lower serum levels of adiponectin compared to the control group. A positive correlation was observed between resistin serum concentration and psoriasis severity. Elevated resistin levels were associated with higher PASI and BSA scores. Conclusions: Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that is potentially linked to metabolic disorders. Resistin may serve as a biomarker for psoriasis severity; however, this relationship requires further research. Full article

Background and Objectives: Data on disease control, treatment, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with psoriasis from Baltic countries are lacking. In this study, we aimed to assess the disease control, treatment, and QoL of patients with psoriasis in countries from Central and Eastern Europe, and we report data for the Baltic countries. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional, international study (CRYSTAL), we retrospectively assessed the real-world disease severity and QoL in adult patients (18–75 years) from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving continuous systemic treatment ≥ 24 weeks. Analyses included 50 patients from each country and were descriptive. Results: The median disease duration was 15.2–19.9 years across the countries. Most patients (78.0% in Estonia, 100% in Latvia, and 68.0% in Lithuania) were receiving monotherapy with biological agents, mainly TNF inhibitors. An absolute PASI score ≤ 3 was achieved by 82.0%, 70.0%, and 64.0% of patients in the overall study population and 89.7%, 70.0%, and 61.8% of patients receiving biologic monotherapy in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, respectively. Across the countries, impairments in QoL as expressed by a Dermatology Life Quality Index score > 5 were reported by 14.0–34.0% of patients, while 88.0–96.0% of patients were satisfied with their treatment. Conclusions: Although most patients showed low absolute PASI scores and satisfaction with their evolution after ≥24 weeks of systemic treatment, they still reported an impact on QoL. This finding underlines that further optimization of systemic treatment strategies is needed to improve outcomes in moderate-to-severe psoriasis in Baltic countries. Full article

Serine acetyltransferase (SAT) is a critical enzyme in the sulfur-assimilation pathway of cysteine, playing an essential role in numerous physiological functions in plants, particularly in their response to environmental stresses. However, the structural characteristics of the soybean SAT gene family remain poorly understood. Members of the soybean SAT gene family were identified using the Hidden Markov Model approach. Bioinformatics tools, such as ExPASy, PlantCARE, MEME, and TBtools-II, were employed to examine the physicochemical properties, cis-regulatory elements, conserved motifs, gene structures, and chromosomal positions of the GmSAT genes. RT-qPCR was conducted to evaluate the expression profiles of GmSAT genes under NaCl-induced stress, identifying genes likely involved in the salt-stress response. A total of ten GmSAT genes were identified in the soybean genome and grouped into three subfamilies. Genes within each subfamily shared notable structural similarities and conserved motifs. Analysis of cis-regulatory elements revealed that the promoters of these genes contain several elements linked to plant growth and stress-related responses. Expression patterns of GmSAT genes varied across different soybean tissues, with GmSAT10 showing higher expression in roots, while GmSAT1 and GmSAT2 had lower expression in the same tissue. Following NaCl treatment, expression levels of seven GmSAT genes were significantly increased in the roots, indicating their potential involvement in the plant’s adaptation to salt stress. GmSAT genes appear to play crucial roles in soybean’s response to salt stress, offering insights that could aid in the development of salt-tolerant soybean varieties. Full article