Benzoylaconitine Alleviates Progression of Psoriasis via Suppressing STAT3 Phosphorylation in Keratinocytes

Psoriasis is a chronic and multifactorial skin disease which is caused by inflammatory infiltrates, keratinocyte hyperproliferation, and accumulation of immune cells. As part of the Aconitum species, Benzoylaconitine (BAC) shows potential antiviral, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of BAC on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a)/LPS-induced HaCaT keratinocytes in a imiquimod(IMQ)-induced mice model. The results showed that BAC could relieve the symptoms of psoriasis by inhibiting cell proliferation, the release of inflammatory factors, and the accumulation of Th17 cells, while no obvious effect on cell viability and safety was observed both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, BAC can markedly inhibit the protein and mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines in TNF-a/LPS-induced HaCaT keratinocytes by inhibiting the phosphorylation of STAT3. In brief, our data indicated that BAC could alleviate the progression of psoriasis and may be a potential therapeutic agent for treating psoriasis in clinical practice.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of Benzoylaconitine (BAC) on TNF-a/LPS-induced HaCaT keratinocytes in a IMQ-induced mice model of psoriasis. The results showed that BAC could alleviate psoriasis symptoms by inhibiting cell proliferation, inflammatory factors release, and Th17 cells accumulation. BAC also inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3 and inflammatory cytokines levels in TNF-a/LPS-induced HaCaT keratinocytes. These findings suggest that BAC may be a potential therapeutic agent for psoriasis treatment in clinical practice.