0500 Mechanisms of the TNF-α signaling pathway in promoting itch and activating central depressive circuits in psoriasis

The compromised skin barrier plays a crucial role in psoriasis and its associated depressive comorbidities, yet the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Existing literature indicates that a disrupted skin barrier leads to increased expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Through immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, and other experimental techniques, we observed a significant elevation of TNF-α in psoriasis skin lesions (p=0.009). Behavioral tests revealed that psoriasis mice exhibited notable depressive-like behaviors, as evidenced by their reduced preference for sucrose preference test (p=0.0018), performance in the tail suspension test (p<0.001), and results from the forced swimming test (p<0.001).