Blood Levels of Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 and its ligand (PD-L1) as Predictors of Systemic Sclerosis Severity | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Medical Microbiology | ||||
| Article 5, Volume 34, Issue 2, April 2025, Page 39-47 PDF (433.56 K) | ||||
| Document Type: New and original researches in the field of Microbiology. | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejmm.2024.341047.1391 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Heba Ahmed 1; Ashraf Abdelwahab  2; Ebtesam Fayez3; Amira Ahmed4; Nesma Ahmed 1
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| 1Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology - Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt | ||||
| 2Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology - Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt | ||||
| 3Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation - Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt | ||||
| 4Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology - Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and PD-1 ligand (PD-L1), are key regulators of immune tolerance and are implicated in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases. Systemic sclerosis (SSC) is a complex autoimmune condition characterized by widespread skin fibrosis, involvement of internal organs, and immune dysregulation leading to the production of autoantibodies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 on CD19+ B lymphocytes and CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with SSC. We also aimed to assess the relationship between PD-1/PD-L1 expression and clinical parameters, laboratory findings, and the extent of skin sclerosis in SSC patients. Methodology: 45 patients diagnosed with SSC and 45 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 on CD19+ B cells and CD3+CD8+ T cells was evaluated using flow cytometry on peripheral blood samples. Results: The expression levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 were significantly elevated in both CD19+ B cells and CD3+CD8+ T cells in the SSC group in comparison to the control group (P = 0.001 for all comparisons). Additionally, strong positive correlations were observed between the expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 on both cell types and disease activity in the SCC group. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that PD-1 and PD-L1 may contribute to the modulation of disease severity in patients with SSC, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for disease activity. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Systemic Sclerosis; Programmed Cell Death 1; Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1; B Lymphocytes; T Lymphocytes | ||||
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