Investigation of short-chain fatty acids in patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common, chronic, and inflammatory dermatological disease worldwide. In recent years, the regulatory effects of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are fermentation products of the gut microbiota, on the immune system and inflammatory processes have gained increasing importance. SCFAs are simple carboxylic acids containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, produced by the fermentation of undigested polysaccharides and oligosaccharides by saccharolytic bacteria in the gut. The aim of this study is to investigate SCFA levels in serum and stool samples of individuals diagnosed with psoriasis vulgaris. The study included 30 patients aged 18–65 years diagnosed with psoriasis vulgaris who presented to the Dermatology and Venereology Outpatient Clinic of Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Application and Research Center, as well as 30 age- and sexmatched healthy controls. Blood and stool samples were collected from all participants, and SCFA levels were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The findings showed that serum levels of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid, and hexanoic acid were significantly lower in patients with psoriasis vulgaris compared to the control group (p < 0,01). In contrast, only fecal acetate levels were significantly higher in the patient group than in the controls (p = 0,006). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the gut microbiota and its metabolites, SCFAs, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Further research to determine the time-dependent effects of each short-chain fatty acid would be beneficial for exploring how these acids could be utilized in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.