Serum galectin-9 level in patients with atopic dermatitis before and after phototherapy

Abstract

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a member of galectin family, which is widely distributed in epithelial tissues and binds to various receptors expressed on the cell surface, such as T-cell Ig and Tim −3, CD4, and IgE. Phototherapy is the use of ultraviolet light to treat skin conditions, including AD. It plays important roles in immune suppression. Aim The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serum level of Gal-9 in patients with AD before and after treatment with phototherapy. Patients and methods The present study included 20 patients with AD and 20 healthy controls. Blood sample collection was done, and Gal-9 level in sera of patients and controls was measured using ELISA. Patients were subjected to complete history taking, clinical examination, and six area, six sign atopic dermatitis score calculation and received treatment by phototherapy ultravilot B (UVB) sessions for 6–8 weeks. After the end of phototherapy sessions, the authors measured the serum Gal-9 again. Results Serum level of Gal-9 in patients with AD was significantly higher than control group, with significant increase with severity of the disease. There was a decrease in serum Gal-9 level after treatment with phototherapy. Conclusion Serum Gal-9 level was significantly elevated in patients with AD, correlated with disease severity, and decreased after treatment with phototherapy. This suggests a possible role of Gal-9 in the pathogenesis of AD. New treatment strategies directed to lower Gal-9 level may be a hope for future perspectives in the treatment of AD.