Psoriasis gene identified

Beer-Sheva, Israel - A new gene associated with psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis has been identified by a research group at Ben-Gurion University.

The findings offer new insights into the mechanism of disease in both conditions, and may help pharmaceutical companies to develop "smart drugs" to combat the disorders.

Researchers studied an Israeli Moroccan Jewish family with 44 members over five generations. The team linked the start of the molecular pathway to a mutation in a gene that is normally expressed in the keratinocytes.