Researchers at VIB and Ghent University have uncovered how an important driver of inflammation is activated at the molecular level. Their findings, published in Science Immunology, also explain how a medicine used to treat a severe form of psoriasis blocks this inflammatory signal.

Inflammation is an essential part of the body’s defense against infection and injury. But when inflammatory signals become too strong or poorly controlled, they can contribute to diseases such as psoriasis.

One important player is the IL-36 receptor, a protein that helps cells respond to inflammatory signals. Researchers led by Dr. Danielle Clancy and professor Savvas Savvides (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) have now revealed in unprecedented detail how this receptor is switched on.