Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules may alleviate psoriasis-like skin diseases in mice by regulating sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor expression and reducing Th17 cells

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is associated with the onset and severity of psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease linked to innate and adaptive immune responses. This study explores the therapeutic effect of Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules, a combination of traditional Chinese medicines, on psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice and the underlying mechanism. We used imiquimod (IMQ) to induce psoriasis-like dermatitis in mice; the effects of Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules on S1P receptors (S1PRs) were investigated using histology and immunohistochemistry. The effects of Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules on the proliferation, differentiation, and activation of the NF-κB pathway in keratinocytes were verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting analyses. CD4(+)Th17 cells were screened using flow cytometry; the effects of Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules on the differentiation of Th17 cells and the content of related inflammatory factors were also verified. S1PR1-5 was highly expressed in psoriatic lesions. Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules significantly inhibited the secretion of proliferation-related proteins (K6, K16, K17, and IL-36γ) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17 and IL-22), transformation of Th17 cells, and activation of the NF-κB pathway and effectively alleviated IMQ-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis. Overall, our findings indicate that Xiaoyin Jiedu Granules have anti-inflammatory activity against S1PR expression, keratinocytes, and immune cells and can therefore mitigate psoriasis. Inhibiting the expression of S1PRs may be an effective treatment strategy against psoriasis.