NEWS: Researchers say they found cause of skin disease

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PSORIASIS

Researchers say they found cause of skin disease

December 14, 2004

Texas researchers said Sunday they may have discovered what causes

psoriasis, a common and irritating skin ailment, and said their findings may

open the way to an effective treatment. They found that it takes a

combination of a protein called STAT3 and an active immune system to cause

psoriasis, which experts estimate affects as much as 2 percent of the

population. Their finding, published in the journal Nature Medicine,

suggests that psoriasis may start with an overenthusiastic attempt by the

body to heal wounds. Psoriasis is a chronic condition in which patches of

skin become inflamed and become itchy, red and flaky. There is no good

treatment, although symptoms can be alleviated. The researchers at the

University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center made a skin cream that

blocked the process that leads to psoriasis in mice. " We may have found an

entirely new treatment option for psoriasis, " said M.D. 's

DiGiovanni, who led the study. REUTERS