WB518, a novel STAT3 inhibitor, effectively alleviates IMQ and TPA-induced animal psoriasis by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation and Keratin 17

Objectives: Psoriasis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disease in humans that is characterized by frequent relapses and challenging to cure. WB518 is a novel small molecule compound with an undisclosed structure. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of WB518 in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of psoriasis, specifically targeting the abnormal proliferation, aberrant differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes, and pathogenic inflammatory response.

Materials and methods: We employed dual luciferase reporter assay to screen compounds capable of inhibiting STAT3 gene transcription. Flow cytometry was utilized to analyze CD3-positive cells. Protein and mRNA levels were assessed through Western blotting, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and Real-Time PCR. Cell viability was measured using the MTS assay, while in vivo models of psoriasis induced by IMQ and TPA were employed to study the anti-psoriasis effect of WB518.

Results: WB518 was found to significantly reduce the mRNA and protein levels of Keratin 17 (K17) in HaCaT cells by inhibiting the phosphorylation of STAT3 Tyr705 (Y705). In the IMQ and TPA-induced psoriasis mouse model, WB518 effectively improved scaling, epidermal hyperplasia, and inflammation. WB518 also suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23. Furthermore, WB518 decreased the proportion of CD3-positive cells in the psoriatic skin of mice.

Conclusions: WB518 exhibits promising potential as a treatment candidate for psoriasis.

Keratin 17; Psoriasis; STAT3; Small molecule inhibitor.