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Provocation and palliation—the dual roles of dermal white adipose tissue in neutrophilic skin inflammation

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 22, pages 1126–1127 (2025)Cite this article

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The Original Article was published on 23 June 2025

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Psoriasis and other inflammatory skin diseases remain challenging to manage, in part owing to an incomplete understanding of how stromal cells, including fibroblasts and adipocytes, shape the inflammatory milieu. In their recent study, Xia et al. revealed an unexpected dual role for dermal adipocyte lineage cells, describing how these cells first promote and later restrain neutrophil-driven inflammation through a dynamic interplay of chemokine production and lipid-mediated resolution [1]. This work broadens our perspective on fibroblast–adipocyte dynamics within the skin and paves the way for novel therapeutic approaches to modulate neutrophil-driven inflammation.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can be classified broadly into nonpustular and pustular subtypes. Nonpustular psoriasis is far more common and includes the most prevalent subtype, plaque psoriasis (also called psoriasis vulgaris), which accounts for ~90% of psoriasis cases, whereas pustular psoriasis subtypes account for only 1–2% of psoriasis cases [2]. Several variants of pustular psoriasis have been described, including generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a rare and severe subtype characterized by widespread eruption of neutrophil-rich pustules along with systemic inflammation [2]. If left untreated, GPP can be life-threatening [2]. Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in the human body and serve as “first responders,” rapidly migrating to sites of inflammation to eliminate pathogens and clear cellular debris [3]. However, persistent activation and accumulation of neutrophils can lead to excessive production of reactive oxygen species and amplification of inflammatory responses, resulting in tissue damage [3]. Neutrophils play a key role in various autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases, including GPP [3]. Notably, neutrophil accumulation and neutrophilic inflammation are hallmarks of early-stage psoriasis, particularly GPP [3]. In a study of patients with treatment-refractory GPP, therapeutic granulocyte/monocyte depletion led to clinical improvement, further supporting a role for neutrophils in the immunopathogenesis of GPP [4].

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References

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  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Sahiti Marella & Allison C. Billi

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  1. Sahiti Marella
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  2. Allison C. Billi
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Correspondence to Allison C. Billi.

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Marella, S., Billi, A.C. Provocation and palliation—the dual roles of dermal white adipose tissue in neutrophilic skin inflammation. Cell Mol Immunol 22, 1126–1127 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-025-01332-4

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