Chemokine production by keratinocyte

Chemokine production by keratinocytes is a complex biological process rather than a single molecular target. Keratinocytes, the primary cells of the epidermis, act as active immune sentinels that initiate and amplify skin inflammation (Richmond & Harris, 2014). Upon stimulation by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A, TNF-alpha, or IL-1, keratinocytes synthesize and secrete a variety of chemokines, including CXCL1, CXCL8 (IL-8), CXCL10, and CCL20 (Albanesi et al., 2018). These chemokines establish chemotactic gradients that recruit specific subsets of leukocytes—such as neutrophils and T cells—into the skin (Chiricozzi et al., 2011). This process is central to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory dermatoses, most notably psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, where a self-amplifying loop between keratinocytes and immune cells leads to tissue hyperplasia and persistent inflammation. While 'chemokine production' is often used as a phenotypic readout in drug discovery, therapeutic strategies typically focus on inhibiting upstream drivers like the IL-23/IL-17 axis or intracellular signaling pathways such as the JAK/STAT pathway to suppress this secretory activity (Bissonnette et al., 2016).

Other names

Keratinocyte chemokine secretionEpidermal chemokine productionKeratinocyte-derived chemokine releaseKC production

Inhibition of upstream pro-inflammatory signaling pathways (e.g., IL-17 signaling, TNF signaling, or JAK/STAT pathways) to reduce the transcriptional induction and secretion of chemokines by keratinocytes.