Synthetic Peptide LKEKK as Potential Antipsoriatic Drag

Abstract

Elena V. Navolotskaya, Vladimir B. Sadovnikov, Dmitry V. Zinchenko and Arkady N. Murashev

It has been established that the synthetic peptide LKEKK affects the ability of IL-12 to regulate the secretory activity of kera- tinocytes obtained from human psoriatic skin: in the concentration range of 100-1000 nM the peptide increases in a dose-de- pendent manner the production of IL-10 and IFN-γ as well as suppression of the production of IL- 17 induced by IL-12 in vitro. The peptide with the inverted sequence KKEKL was inactive, which indicates the high specificity of the peptide LKEKK action. An in vivo study of the peptide LKEKK activity in a model of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis in mice showed that its daily application to the ear (150 500 μg) together with Aldara cream containing 5% IMQ for 6 days significantly suppress- es the development of the inflammatory process.

PDF