Altered mTORC1 signalling may contribute to macrophage dysregulation in hidradenitis suppurativa

Excerpt

I have read with interest the paper by Shah and colleagues [1]. The authors have underlined that macrophages play a critical role in the pathogenesis of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Dysregulation of macrophage activity is a big culprit in causing chronic tissue inflammation and damage. More specifically, dysregulated activation and proliferation of macrophages contribute to elevated macrophage secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), which activate other inflammatory effectors and directly lead to tissue injury. In particular, macrophages are the most numerous inflammatory cells found in HS infiltrate and release numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-23 [2], IL-1b [3] and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha [3, 4], which work to further enhance the inflammation. As a result, macrophages may modify the pericellular environment by influencing other inflammatory cells and may act as key players in the pathogenesis of the disease. This evidence helps to understand why HS patients often have concurrent inflammatory conditions which are also characterized by macrophage dysfunction such as Crohn’s disease and spondyloarthropathy. …