The role of the gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of psoriasis: Evidence of the gut-skin axis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i3.50829Keywords:
Psoriasis, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Dysbiosis.Abstract
The intestinal microbiota has been widely investigated as an important modulator of the immune system due to its ability to influence immune responses through the production of metabolites and direct interaction with immunocompetent cells. Changes in its composition, diversity, or functional activity may impair immune homeostasis, favoring inflammatory processes and contributing to the pathogenic mechanisms of several immune-mediated diseases. In this context, psoriasis stands out as a chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated disease characterized by immune system dysregulation, keratinocyte hyperproliferation, and excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines. Recent evidence suggests that intestinal dysbiosis may contribute to the intensification of this inflammatory response, reinforcing the hypothesis of the existence of a gut-skin axis in the pathophysiology of the disease. Thus, the present study consists of an integrative literature review on the influence of the intestinal microbiota on the pathophysiology of psoriasis, with emphasis on the immunological mechanisms involved and its autoimmune character. The review includes articles published between 2021 and 2026, selected according to previously defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with the aim of synthesizing the main available evidence on this association.
References
Buhaș, M. C., Gavrilaș, L. I., Candrea, R., Cătinean, A., Mocan, A., Miere, D., et al. (2022). Gut Microbiota in Psoriasis. Nutrients. 14(14), 2970.
De Francesco, M. A. & Caruso A. (2022). The Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis and Crohn’s Disease: Is Its Perturbation a Common Denominator for Their Pathogenesis? Vaccines. 10(2), 244.
Fenandes, J. M. B., Vieira, L. T. & Castelhano, M. V. C. (2023). Revisão narrativa enquanto metodologia científica significativa: reflexões técnico-formativas. REDES – Revista Educacional da Sucesso. 3(1), 1-7. ISSN: 2763-6704.
Gao, Y., Lou, Y., Hui, Y., Chen, H., Sang, H. N. & Liu, F. (2025). Characterization of the Gut Microbiota in Patients with Psoriasis: A Systematic Review. Pathogens. 14(4), 358. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/4/358.
Sonomoto, K., Song, R., Eriksson, D., Hahn, A. M., Meng, X., Lyu, P. et al. (2023). High-fat-diet-associated intestinal microbiota exacerbates psoriasis-like inflammation by enhancing systemic γδ T cell IL-17 production. Cell reports. 42(7), 112713–3.
Buhaș, M.C., Candrea, R., Gavrilaș, L. I., Miere, D., Tătaru, A., Boca, A. et al. (2023). Transforming Psoriasis Care: Probiotics and Prebiotics as Novel Therapeutic Approaches. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 24(13), 11225–5.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10342574/#B35-ijms-24-11225.
Olejniczak-Staruch, I., Ciążyńska, M., Sobolewska-Sztychny, D., Narbutt, J., Skibińska, M. & Lesiak, A. (2021). Alterations of the Skin and Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22(8), 3998.
Polak K, Bergler-Czop B, Szczepanek M, Wojciechowska K, Frątczak A, Kiss N. (2021). Psoriasis and Gut Microbiome—Current State of Art. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22(9), 4529.
Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [free ebook]. Santa Maria: Editora da UFSM.
Risemberg, R. I. C. et al. (2026). A importância da metodologia científica no desenvolvimento de artigoscientíficos. E-Acadêmica, 7(1), e0171675.
Secchiero P, Rimondi E, Marcuzzi A, Longo G, Papi C, Manfredini M, et al. (2024). Metabolic Syndrome and Psoriasis: Pivotal Roles of Chronic Inflammation and Gut Microbiota. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 25(15), 8098.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research. 104, 333-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039.
Zhang X, Shi L, Sun T, Guo K, Geng S. (2021). Dysbiosis of gut microbiota and its correlation with dysregulation of cytokines in psoriasis patients. BMC Microbiology. 21(1).
Zou YM, Wu MN, Zhou X, Bai YP. (2024). Mapping the global research landscape on psoriasis and the gut microbiota: visualization and bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 15. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12062130/
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Joanne Conceição Martins Aragão Costa Dias, Ana Clara Oliveira Lima, Yasmin da Silva Matos, Francielle de Meneses Santos, Érika Pereira De Paula, Letícia Almeida Santos, Karolina Freitas, Marina de Carvalho Santos, Emmily Heiner Maia Carvalho, Rafael Ferreira de França

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
