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Repeated application of imiquimod produces inflammatory psoriasiform skin lesions in mice. Interleukin (IL)-23-mediated secretion of interleukins IL17 and IL22 prompts recruitment of inflammatory leukocytes and produces psoriasiform acanthosis. In human psoriatic skin, local anesthesia and denervation that reduce pain and itch also ameliorate the inflammatory response.
Riol-Blanco and colleagues investigated how peripheral nerves affect cutaneous immune responses — particularly, whether certain sensory neurons are essential to inflammatory response. Surprisingly, they found that ablation of TRPV1-expressing nociceptive neurons decreased imiquimod-related inflammation, acanthosis, and cytokine elaboration. This effect persisted even in mice l…