Abstract: Objective To study the relationship between the methylation of p16 promotor and the pathogenesis and progress of psoriasis. Method Methylation-specific PCR and DNA sequencing were used to detect the methylation of p16 promotor. Results The methylation of p16 promotor was found in 23.08% (6/26) of psoriatic lesions and 19.23% (5/26) of non-lesional areas in psoriatic patients, but none in normal controls. The frequency of methylation of p16 promotor was higher in psoriatic lesions than that in normal skin (P<0.05). The methylation frequencies of p16 promotor were 41.67% (5/12), 41.67% (5/12), respectively, in both psoriatic lesions and non-lesional areas in progressive phase, which were significantly higher in comparison with those in psoriatic lesions and non-lesional areas in stationary phase [7.14% (1/14) and 0(0/14), respectively] (P<0.05). Conclusion The methylation of p16 promotor may be related to the pathogenesis and progress of psoriasis.

Key words: Psoriasis, Genes,p16, Methylation, Promoter regions (genetics)