The Evolving Landscape of Cutaneous Sarcoidosis: Pathogenic Insight, Clinical Challenges, and New Frontiers in Therapy

High expression of interleukin-17A in cutaneous sarcoidosis

Increasing evidence of Th17 pathways is implicated in sarcoidosis granulomatous inflammation and maintenance. Our study evaluated the presence of IL-17A, a downstream proinflammatory cytokine, in cutaneous sarcoidosis biopsies. We found that all 26 biopsy samples had increased expression of IL-17A, predominantly located in macrophages within granulomas, in the cytoplasm of multinucleated histiocytes surrounding the granulomas and within lymphocytic infiltrates surrounding the inflammation.

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown cause characterized by granulomatous inflammation. Although the lung is almost universally involved, any organ can be affected. Complex pathogenesis and protean clinical manifestations are additional features of the disease. The diagnosis is one of exclusion, although the presence of noncaseating granulomas at disease sites is a prerequisite in most cases. The management of sarcoidosis requires a multidisciplinary approach, particularly when the heart, the brain, or the eyes are involved. The paucity of effective therapies and the lack of reliable predictors of disease behavior greatly contribute to making sarcoidosis a challenging disease to manage.