The role of HLA-Cw6 in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
Witold Owczarek
Abstract
Psoriasis (Ps) is an inflammatory disease of complex etiology. The development and course of psoriasis are influenced by genetic, environmental and immunological factors [1, 2]. Psoriasis is a disease with a multi-gene model of inheritance, which means that its manifestation is caused by the interaction of many genes and environmental factors. The environmental factors associated with the development of Ps include infections, medications, alcohol and stress [3, 4]. Conclusions Studies to date show that HLA-Cw6 positivity is associated with early onset of psoriasis and severe course of the disease. Nevertheless, further research is needed to fully clarify its role in psoriasis. The data also suggest that HLA-Cw6 is not a significant genetic marker for the development of psoriatic arthritis.