MicroRNAs in normal and psoriatic skin

Psoriasis is a chronic and common human skin disorder currently with no cure. Psoriatic skin displays inflammatory, raised, and scaly lesions with widely aberrant gene expression. Recent studies have revealed critical roles that microRNAs play as a class of posttranscriptional gene regulator in skin development and skin diseases. A substantial number of novel microRNAs have been identified in skin, and much has been learned about the dysregulated expression and functional roles of microRNAs in psoriasis, as well as the robustness and plasticity of microRNA-mediated gene expression regulation. Here we review recent progresses in discovery, profiling, and characterization of microRNAs in human psoriatic skin, discuss insights to their biological functions, and share our view on remaining challenges to be addressed.