Elevated Serum Levels of Interleukin-15 in Pemphigus Vulgaris Patients: a Potential Therapeutic Target

Authors

Maedeh Kheirodin, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesShahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Zohreh Tehranchinia, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Yasaman Ketabi, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Soheil Tavakolpour, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Sahar Dadkhahfar, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Masoomeh Faghankani, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Hassan Vahidnezhad, Thomas Jefferson University; Pasteur Institute of IranFollow
Nikoo Mozafari, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2022

Comments

This article is the author’s final published version in Dermatology Practical and Conceptual, Volume 12, Issue 3, July 2022, Article number e2022118.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.5826/dpc.1203a118. Copyright © Kheirodin et al.

Abstract

Introduction: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a rare autoimmune disease that causes painful blistering. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) as a member of the immunoregulatory cytokines family is associated with the development of the chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disease. There is not much information available in the literature on the exact role IL-15 plays in PV. Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of IL-15 in patients with PV and assess the association of IL-15 with anti-desmoglein antibodies and the severity of the disease. Methods: Fifty-three individuals affected with active PV and 38 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were participated in this study. Disease severity was assessed using Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score (ABSIS). Serum levels of IL-15 (pg/mL) and anti-desmoglein antibodies (Dsg1, 3) were determined. Results: In the patient group, IL-15 serum levels were statistically higher than those in the control group (3.71 } 1.5 vs. 0.79 } 1.03, P < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between serum levels of IL-15 and ABSIS (r = 0.5, P = 0.04). We found no significant correlation between serum concentrations of IL-15 and antidesmoglein antibodies (Dsg1 or Dsg3). Conclusions: An increase in serum level of IL-15 in patients with PV and its relationship with disease severity suggest that this cytokine possibly contributes to the pathogenesis of the disease and targeting IL-15 will likely provide a new insight into the treatment of this disease.

Recommended Citation

Kheirodin, Maedeh; Tehranchinia, Zohreh; Ketabi, Yasaman; Tavakolpour, Soheil; Dadkhahfar, Sahar; Faghankani, Masoomeh; Vahidnezhad, Hassan; and Mozafari, Nikoo, "Elevated Serum Levels of Interleukin-15 in Pemphigus Vulgaris Patients: a Potential Therapeutic Target" (2022). Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers. Paper 168.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/dcbfp/168

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Language

English