title: Expression levels of transcription factor PU.1 and interleukin-9 in atopic dermatitis and their relation to disease severity and eruption types.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of immunological factors in atopic dermatitis (AD) pathogenesis is well established. T-helper (TH) cells are central in AD pathogenesis. A relatively new subset of T cells, Th9 cells, was shown to be involved in the development of allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis, while its role in AD is still to be investigated. This study aimed to measure gene expression levels of interleukin-9 (IL-9) and PU.1, and to examine relationships with disease severity, serum IgE, and eruption types in AD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 30 AD patients, 30 psoriasis patients, and 30 healthy subjects. The severity of AD was assessed using the SCORAD index. IL-9 and PU.1 expressions were measured by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR). Serum IgE was measured by IgE (human) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) Kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-9 and PU.1 gene expressions were significantly higher in AD patients than in controls (P1 = 0.007, P2 < 0.001, respectively). In the atopic dermatitis patients, expression of IL-9 and PU.1 were significantly positively correlated with SCORAD index (P1 = 0.004, P2 = 0.002) and clinically with erythema and edema scores. IL-9 and PU.1 expressions were positively significantly correlated (P = 0.005) and positively correlated with serum IgE in the AD group (P1 = 0.017, P2 = 0.023). No significant difference was noted between AD patients with or without histories of other atopies regarding expression levels of IL-9 and PU.1 (P1 = 0.677, P2 = 0.135).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PU.1 and IL-9 may play a role in AD pathogenesis and relate to disease severity and clinical eruption types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology & Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ashraf M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hamza
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology & Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Salma S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Reham A H
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Abo El-Wafa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology & Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Marwa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Elatrash
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D004487:Edema / Q000235:genetics; D004890:Erythema / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000235:genetics; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000067251:Symptom Flare Up; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D016906:Interleukin-9; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1