Enhancing Treg cell function to address chronic inflammation in the skin has been shown to be a promising approach to addressing skin disorders and maintaining immune health.
By boosting anti-inflammatory cytokine levels and promoting Treg function, PPS is able to restore immune balance and naturally reduce inflammation. PPS effectively addresses the fundamental pathology of skin issues with naturally existing agents, minimizing the risk of adverse effects.
Psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune skin disorder affecting approximately 125 million to 200 million people worldwide, is driven by an overactive immune system that speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. In psoriasis, Treg cells do not function properly and cannot suppress the Th17 cells effectively. Th17 cells are a kind of T cell that can recruit other immune cells and promote inflammation. This impaired suppressive function leads to an imbalance between Treg and Th17 cells, resulting in chronic inflammation of the skin. The skin of psoriasis patients is characterized by the accumulation of skin cells, leading to scales on the skin's surface accompanied by inflammation and redness. In some cases, the skin becomes fragile and bleeds.
Currently, the psoriasis treatments mostly involve corticosteroids, but their side effects include suppressing collagen synthesis and damaging the functionality of the skin's DEJ (dermo-epidermal junction), leading to decreased skin quality and increased sensitivity to external stimuli. PPS offers a new path for the treatment of psoriasis. As mentioned, PPS provides favourable conditions for the maturation of naive CD4 cells to fully functional Treg cells, helping to restore the functionality of Treg cells, addressing the immune imbalance underlying skin pathologies.
Skin immune response can be characterized into two categories: acute and chronic. Unlike acute inflammation, which is a beneficial and necessary process for healing, chronic inflammation is thought to accelerate the aging process, a process known as "inflammaging," which induces oxidative stress and a variety of other effects that, over time, can disrupt the normal functioning of the system. This chronic state is characterized by persistent, low-grade inflammation that does not subside.
Inflammation increases the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the skin. MMPs are responsible for degrading skin proteins such as collagen, fibronectin, and elastin; while collagen gives skin structural support, elastin provides elasticity to tissues, allowing them to resume their shape after stretching or contracting and fibronectin is responsible for skin repair and growth. When MMPs are chronically activated, they degrade the structural proteins rapidly, outspeeding the renewal capability of the skin, leading to the formation of wrinkles and premature skin aging.
