Scientists discover hidden sugar layer behind psoriasis
Science Daily
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Scientists have uncovered a groundbreaking discovery regarding the role of sugars in psoriasis, revealing that immune cells actively shed a gel-like sugar coating to move into inflamed skin. This finding challenges previous assumptions that only blood vessel walls were involved in allowing immune cell migration. The study, published in *Science Signaling*, highlights the importance of the glycocalyx—a layer of complex sugar molecules covering immune cells—as a regulator of their movement during inflammation.
The glycocalyx has long been known to protect blood vessels and regulate immune cell travel, but its role on immune cells themselves was not fully understood. Researchers found that in conditions like psoriasis, immune cells shed part of this sugar coating to exit the bloodstream and enter inflamed tissues. This process is crucial for fighting infections but can also contribute to chronic inflammation, as seen in psoriasis, where excess immune cell buildup damages the skin.
The study was led by Dr. Amy Saunders of Lancaster University and Dr. Douglas Dyer of the University of Manchester, with contributions from other international researchers. Their work reveals that shedding the glycocalyx is a key step in the inflammatory response and could be targeted for new therapies aimed at controlling harmful inflammation in diseases like psoriasis.
This research not only advances our understanding of how sugars influence immune cell behavior but also opens up promising avenues for developing treatments that modulate inflammation by targeting these sugar coatings. By focusing on how immune cells modify their own glycocalyx, scientists may design drugs to limit
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Originally published on Science Daily on 2/25/2026