Role of ADAM10/17-Mediated Cleavage of LAG3 in the Impairment of Immunosuppression in Psoriasis

Abstract

Despite extensive research on immune activation regulatory mechanisms, studies on immune suppression in psoriasis are limited. LAG3, a newly identified immune checkpoint, plays a crucial role in modulating immune responses and maintaining T-regulatory cell function. However, its involvement in psoriasis is unclear. We show that psoriasis is associated with reduced LAG3 expression in CD4 T cells and T-regulatory cells. Further analysis revealed that the decline in LAG3 levels was linked to ADAM10/17-mediated proteolytic cleavage, which was upregulated in psoriasis. Clinical utilization of the IL-17A antagonist secukinumab, along with the in vivo and in vitro IL-17A–induced models, supported the potential of IL-17A to induce ADAM10/17 expression and trigger LAG3 cleavage. Through the Jurkat cell model, IL-17A was found to regulate ADAM10/17 expression by activating FOXM1. In addition, treatment with the ADAM10/17 inhibitor GW280264X showed ameliorative effects on psoriasis-like mouse models and lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation. Collectively, the findings of this study uncover the immune regulatory role of the ADAM10/17–LAG3 axis in psoriasis and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting ADAM10/17 for psoriasis treatment.