Profiling CARD14 gene expression in Indian Psoriasis patients

Several Genome Wide linkage Studies on psoriasis performed to gain insight of genetic architecture of the disease. Caspase Recruitment Domain-containing family 14 (CARD14) also known as CARMA2 or BIMP2; cytogenic location: 17q25.3, is a scaffold protein that primarily controls the skin epidermis's nuclear factor kB (NF-kB) signaling pathway activity in skin epidermis, a master gene for inflammation, has been shown to be linked with rare, heritable form of psoriasis. CARD14 is predominantly expressed in keratinocytes and epithelial cells, but also in unidentified dermal cells. For better understanding of molecular processes involved in CARD14 underlying Indian psoriatic patients, we analyzed gene expression of 42 moderates to severe cases of plaque psoriasis and same number of controls using qPCR and its validation through Immunohistochemistry (IHC). This study identifies that the expression of CARD14 in dermal endothelial cells among patients with psoriasis and explores the potential functional consequences associated with an overactive CARD14 gene. Furthermore, the expression data from the western population was consistent with the results of the qPCR validation of the candidate gene. There is a significant correlation between Indian psoriasis vulgaris patients and CARD14 up-regulation, as evidenced by a roughly two-fold shift in lesional tissue expression. This provides insights into the pathways and genes linked to the pathogenesis of psoriasis.