Inflammatory Memory in Psoriasis: from Remission to Recurrence

The routine use of targeted systemic immunomodulatory therapies has transformed outcomes for people with severe psoriasis, with skin clearance (clinical remission) rates up to 60% at one year of biologic treatment. However, psoriasis may recur following drug withdrawal, and so patients tend to remain on costly treatment indefinitely. Here, we review research into the ‘inflammatory memory’ in resolved psoriasis skin and the potential mechanisms leading to psoriasis recurrence following drug withdrawal. Research has implicated immune cells such as tissue-resident memory T cells, Langerhans cells and dermal dendritic cells, and there is growing interest in keratinocytes and fibroblasts. A better understanding of the interactions between these cell populations, enabled by single-cell technologies, will help to elucidate the events underpinning the shift from remission to recurrence. This may inform the development of personalised strategies for sustaining remission while reducing long-term drug burden.