Pharmacogenetics of psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is an inflammatory hyperproliferative skin disorder with a strong genetic predisposition. While many effective modalities are currently available for treating psoriasis, response to therapy is quite variable among patients. The genetic component underlying the response to pharmacotherapy in psoriasis is slowly beginning to emerge and represents a specialized field of genetics referred to as pharmacogenetics. The identification of genetic variants has the potential to improve the management of patient care by identifying which patients should avoid a specific drug and which patients should be administered a modified dose. A suitable approach in implementing such a strategy could potentially reduce medical costs and improve success of drug therapy. This article summarizes the clinical aspects of psoriasis, its genetic susceptibility and highlights the current landscape of genetic targets for psoriasis pharmacotherapy.