title: Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 expression in mycosis fungoides and psoriasis: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been implicated in various dermatological diseases. TLR agonists have the capacity to potently activate the innate immune cells of patients with advanced, refractory, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect TLR7 gene expression in mycosis fungoides (MF) (a neoplastic skin condition) and to compare it with psoriasis (an inflammatory skin condition) in an attempt to clarify the pathogenic role played by TLR7 in both conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study enrolled 28 patients with MF: 30 patients with psoriasis, and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). A 4-mm punch skin biopsy was obtained from lesional skin of patients and from normal skin of HCs for detection of TLR7 gene expression using real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean TLR7 level in patients with MF (0.4 ± 0.23) was significantly lower than in patients with psoriasis (1.49 ± 0.46) and in HCs (1.22 ± 0.44) (P < 0.001), and mean TLR7 level in patients with psoriasis was significantly higher than in HCs (P < 0.03). Based on MF staging, 21.4% of patients had stage Ia, 28.6% had stage Ib, 28.6% had stage IIa and 21.4% had stage IIb disease. Comparing the TLR7 levels in relation to MF staging revealed the lowest mean value was in stage IIb and highest mean value in stage Ia, and this was significant (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disturbed innate immunity might play a role in the pathogenesis of neoplastic and inflammatory skin conditions. TLR7 could be useful as a prognostic factor in MF.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El Tawdy
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: R M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3280-0796
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Abdel Hay
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Z S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Gad
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rashed
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495348:TLR7 protein, human; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7