Keratin 6A (KRT6A) — a protein your skin naturally makes — actually triggers inflammation when your skin barrier is damaged, making conditions like rosacea and psoriasis worse. In animal and cell studies, turning down KRT6A reduced inflammation significantly, while increasing it made inflammation worse. This suggests KRT6A might be a new target for treating inflammatory skin diseases.

Researchers tested KRT6A in mouse skin and human skin cells, some with the protein present and some without, then exposed them to inflammatory triggers. They used mass spectrometry to trace the exact molecular pathway that causes the inflammation.

Funding not disclosed in abstract