Cyclopamine: inhibiting hedgehog in the treatment of psoriasis.

The steroidal alkaloid cyclopamine, a direct inhibitor of the hedgehog (Hh) intracellular signaling pathway, has demonstrated promising initial results in the treatment of psoriasis. Cyclopamine initially was shown to be effective in the induction of the differentiation and apoptosis of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). This brief review explains both the details of Hh signaling and the role of cyclopamine in interrupting it. Most importantly, this article discusses the implications of recent findings on the treatment of psoriasis. Although considerable research and clinical trials lie ahead, cyclopamine-induced Hh inhibition may represent the latest mechanistic pathway to combat psoriasis.