DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljad274 ISSN:

Spatial transcriptomic profiling reveals the pathophysiology of early-stage hidradenitis suppurativa

Christine Suh-Yun Joh, Soyoung Jeong, Cheol Lee, Hee Jung Lee, Jung Ho Lee, Hyun Seung Choi, Soyun Cho, Gwangil Kim, Jaehwan Kim, James G Krueger, Chung-Gyu Park, Jung U Shin, Seon-Pil Jin, Hyun Je Kim
  • Dermatology

We investigated the role of the epithelium of nodules in Hurley stage I hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) by using spatial transcriptomics to analyse the profiles of epithelial cells and dermal-infiltrating immune cells. Compared with epidermal cysts, genes related to bacterial response, inflammatory mediators and neutrophil degranulation pathways were upregulated in the epithelial cells of early-stage HS nodules. Our analysis of dermal-infiltrating immune cells surrounding the epithelium of nodules revealed significantly elevated levels of B-cell-related genes. Similarly to the sinus tract formation observed in moderate-to-severe HS, we propose that the production of inflammatory mediators in early-stage HS may involve the activation of keratinocytes and their interaction with dermal-infiltrating immune cells.

More from our Archive