Cyr61/CCN1 induces CCL20 production by keratinocyte via activating p38 and JNK/AP-1 pathway in psoriasis

•CCN1 and CCL20 were co-expressed in the epidermal lesional skin of psoriasis patients.•Blocking or knockdown CCN1 expression ameliorated skin inflammation and reduced the function of CCL20-CCR6 axis in mouse models of psoriasis.•CCN1 directly up-regualted CCL20 expression.•CCN1 mediated CCL20 production through p38 and JNK/AP-1 signaling pathway.

BackgroundPsoriasis is a common chronic skin disease characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and inflammation. Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (Cyr61/CCN1) has recently been implicated in psoriasis pathogenesis by promoting keratinocyte activation. However, the mechanisms by which CCN1 enhances cutaneous inflammation are not fully understood.ObjectiveIn this study, we investigated the role of CCN1 on the expression of CCL20 in human keratinocyte.Methods and resultsBy double-label immunofluorescence staining, we first identified that the expression of CCN1 colocalized well with CCL20 production in the epidermis of psoriasis skin lesion. Furthermore, in vivo, blocking or knockdown CCN1 expression ameliorated skin inflammation and reduced the expression of CCL20 in both imiquimod and IL-23-induced psoriasis-like mouse models, which indicated that CCN1 might be involved in the regulation of CCL20 production in psoriasis. Next, in vitro, we stimulated primary normal human epidermal keratinocyte (NHEK) with exogenous protein CCN1 and found that CCN1 directly upregulated CCL20 production independent of TNF-α, IL-22 and IL-17 pathway. Lastly, the signaling pathway study showed that CCN1 enhanced the binding of AP-1 to the CCL20 promoter via crosstalk with p38 and JNK.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that CCN1 stimulates CCL20 production in vitro and in vivo, and thus supports the notion that overexpressed CCN1 in hyperproliferating keratinocyte is functionally involved in the recruitment of inflammatory cells to skin lesions affected by psoriasis.