Researchers at Biohub Chicago combined the first-ever genome-wide CRISPR screen of human skin cells with an AI model to identify novel psoriasis targets. Among the surprising finds: the oxytocin receptor. Topical gels targeting this receptor — and an existing asthma drug — matched the effectiveness of an injected biologic in mice, without the systemic immune suppression.
Researchers at Biohub Chicago have pulled off a scientific first: a genome-wide CRISPR screen of primary human adult skin cells (keratinocytes), paired with an AI model to surface overlooked drug targets for psoriasis. The team overcame a longstanding technical barrier — standard chemical delivery methods are toxic to keratinocytes — by using centrifugal force instead to deliver CRISPR machinery into the cells.
Their AI tool, VirtualCRISPR, scanned the screen's thousands of hits and flagged genes that were strongly implicated experimentally but barely mentioned in the scientific literature. Two stood out: ALOX5, targeted by the FDA-approved asthma drug zileuton, and OXTR — the oxytocin receptor — which had zero prior connection to psoriasis or skin inflammation. When formulated as topical gels and tested in a mouse model, both reduced disease severity within five days, matching results from an injected anti-IL17RA biologic within a week.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Psoriasis affects ~125 million people globally, and current moderate-to-severe treatments are costly, injectable, and carry immune suppression risks. A topical, locally acting therapy could be a meaningful step forward for patients and clinicians alike.
