Analysis Concludes No Single Preclinical Model Fully Mimics Human PsO

Despite extensive preclinical model development, no single system fully mimics human psoriatic disease, according to a new analysis published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery.

Researchers on the study emphasized the importance of preclinical models that can reproduce disease-relevant mechanisms in developing effective therapeutics for psoriasis. In the review, they covered current in vivo psoriasis models, including spontaneous mutation models, transgenic and knockout mice, xenotransplantation systems, and cytokine-induced and imiquimod-induced models. They then evaluated each model for its ability to replicate key histological and immunological features of human psoriasis. They also discussed the utility of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in generating targeted models and its potential use for mechanistic studies, calling attention to various limitations in translational applicability and the need for multimodel validation strategies regarding psoriasis.

“The imiquimod-induced model remains widely used due to its practicality, although it better reflects acute inflammation compared with chronic pathology,” they wrote. “The combination of complementary models and the incorporation of human-derived tissues or immune components may improve translational relevance. Advances in genome editing and humanized systems are likely to shape the future of psoriasis research and therapeutic discovery.”