The antimicrobial peptide LL37 is a T-cell autoantigen in psoriasis

Roberto Lande (), Elisabetta Botti, Camilla Jandus, Danijel Dojcinovic, Giorgia Fanelli, Curdin Conrad, Georgios Chamilos, Laurence Feldmeyer, Barbara Marinari, Susan Chon, Luis Vence, Valeria Riccieri, Phillippe Guillaume, Alex A. Navarini, Pedro Romero, Antonio Costanzo, Enza Piccolella, Michel Gilliet () and Loredana Frasca ()
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Roberto Lande: Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Elisabetta Botti: Dermatology Unit, Sapienza University of Rome
Camilla Jandus: Translational tumor immunology group, Ludwig center for cancer research of the University of Lausanne
Danijel Dojcinovic: TC Metrix
Giorgia Fanelli: University La Sapienza
Curdin Conrad: University Hospital CHUV
Georgios Chamilos: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Laurence Feldmeyer: University Hospital CHUV
Barbara Marinari: University Tor Vergata
Susan Chon: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Luis Vence: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Valeria Riccieri: University La Sapienza
Phillippe Guillaume: TC Metrix
Alex A. Navarini: University Hospital of Zurich
Pedro Romero: TC Metrix
Antonio Costanzo: Dermatology Unit, Sapienza University of Rome
Enza Piccolella: University La Sapienza
Michel Gilliet: University Hospital CHUV
Loredana Frasca: Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Psoriasis is a common T-cell-mediated skin disease with 2–3% prevalence worldwide. Psoriasis is considered to be an autoimmune disease, but the precise nature of the autoantigens triggering T-cell activation remains poorly understood. Here we find that two-thirds of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis harbour CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cells specific for LL37, an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) overexpressed in psoriatic skin and reported to trigger activation of innate immune cells. LL37-specific T cells produce IFN-γ, and CD4+ T cells also produce Th17 cytokines. LL37-specific T cells can infiltrate lesional skin and may be tracked in patients blood by tetramers staining. Presence of circulating LL37-specific T cells correlates significantly with disease activity, suggesting a contribution to disease pathogenesis. Thus, we uncover a role of LL37 as a T-cell autoantigen in psoriasis and provide evidence for a role of AMPs in both innate and adaptive immune cell activation.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6621

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