Th17 cytokine IL-22 induces IL-20 production in keratinocytes: A novel immunological cascade with potential relevance in psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disease. Recent studies demonstrated that IL-20 and IL-22, cytokines produced by keratinocytes and T cells, respectively, both inhibit keratinocyte terminal differentiation and induce psoriasis-like epidermis alterations. Here, we investigated the relationship between these mediators. Although IL-20 was not able to regulate IL-22 production, IL-22 induced IL-20 mRNA and protein in human keratinocytes. However, IL-22 had only a minimal effect, if any, on IL-19 and IL-26. Cutaneous IL-20 was also elevated in mice following IL-22 application. Accordingly, some of IL-22's effects on differentiation-regulating genes were partially mediated by an endogenous, secreted protein and attenuated by anti-IL-20 Ab. Like IL-22, IL-17A and TNF-α induced IL-20 in keratinocytes, whereas IFN-γ and IL-20 itself did not. Furthermore, IL-17A and TNF-α individually strengthened the IL-22-induced IL-20 production. In lesional skin of psoriasis patients, highly elevated IL-20 levels strongly correlated with IL-22, and to a lesser extent, with IL-17A and TNF-α. As previously shown for IL-22, IL-20 blood levels correlated with the disease severity, although with a lower significance. This study demonstrates that a T-cell mediator induces a tissue cell mediator with similar effects to its own and therefore suggests the existence of a novel type of pathogenetic cascade.