Are programmed cell death protein-1 and Angiopoietins-2 effective biomarkers for detection the severity of psoriatic patients?

BACKGROUND: Early detection of psoriasis is still an open discussion. Psoriatic lesions are characterized by red/scaly plaques affecting different body-sites. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the levels of programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1) and Angiopoietins-2(Ang-2) in serum, lesional, and perilesional of psoriatic patients and correlate them with controls and disease severity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Serum samples were obtained from 40 participants subdivided equally into psoriatic and healthy controls, 4 mm punch_biopsy equally from lesional and perilesional skin of individuals. PD-1/ANG-2 ELISA kits were used for determining the serum and tissue levels among groups. RESULTS: Serum and tissue levels of PD-1 and Ang-2 were overexpressed in psoriatic patients compared with controls. There was a statistical difference between patients and controls in level of PD-1(serum and tissue) with p-value 0.006 and 0.0001, respectively. There was a statistical difference between both groups for ANG-2(serum and tissue) with p-value 0.03 and 0.0001, respectively. There were positive correlations between PASI score and PD-1 in tissue (r = 0.467, p = 0.038). Also, positive correlation between the level of PD-1 in serum and tissue (r = 0.369, p = 0.019), the serum levels of PD-1 and ANG-2 (r = 0.78, p > 0.0001), PD-1 and Ang-2 in tissue (r = 0.583,p = 0.0001) were detected. CONCLUSION: PD-1 and ANG-2 can be highly recommended to determine the severity of psoriasis.

Is there a relation between long non-coding RNA MALAT-1 and miRNA-9 in Egyptian patients with Vitiligo?

To conduct a clinical biochemical study that aids in investigation of some non-coding RNA expressions and polymorphisms (including long non-coding RNAs and miRNAs) namely, MALAT-1 and miR-9 in attempt to provide new diagnostic biomarkers in vitiligo patients for Egyptians. Twenty patients having vitiligo and other twenty apparently controls were included in this study. Serum and biopsy were taken where patients were classified into lesional and peri-lesional groups. Laboratory and pathological investigations were assessed. Serum miR-9 and long-non coding MALAT-1 were measured. Vitiligo patients had a mean age of 36.40±13.75. The mean serum miR-9 level in patients group (4.28 ± 1.70) was significantly higher than in the control (1.05 ± 0.12) (p = 0.001). The MALAT-1 level in vitiligo patients was (3.65 ± 1.30) significantly higher than control (1.45 ± 0.15) (p = 0.001). There was a positive association between the expression levels of MALAT-1and miR-9in serum and tissue as well where p-value <0.05. miR-9 as well as long non-coding MALAT-1 may be considered as biomarkers for vitiligo susceptibility which may provide a new direction for treatment.