Ode to Salt: Commentary on "Skin Sodium Accumulates in Psoriasis and Reflects Disease Severity".

"Skin Sodium Accumulates in Psoriasis and Reflects Disease Severity" (Maifeld et al., 2021) showed that skin sodium ion (Na+) is increased in patients with a PASI > 5. Na+ concentration as well as its content were increased in these patients, supporting the proposed mechanism that increased Na+ concentrations enhance IL-17 expression from CD4+ cells. These data initially were generated using a noninvasive technique, sodium (23Na) magnetic resonance imaging, and then were verified using 23Na spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectrometry in ashed-skin biopsies in humans and also using mouse models of psoriasis. These findings suggest a novel pathologic mechanism for psoriasis development and target for treatment.