Evaluation of apoptosis markers in patients with atopic dermatitis

The purpose of the study was to analyze indicators of apoptosis in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Patients (N = 88) aged from 12 months to 3 years with varying degrees of disease severity were involved into trial. SCORAD indices were: 68.14±2.63 – in patients with severe AD; 32.03±1.43 – with moderate; and 12.12±1.43 – with mild AD, respectively. Determination of apoptosis markers (Caspase 8, Caspase 9, sCD153, sFas-L, Annexin 5) in blood serum was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using commercial kits from Bender MedSystems® (Austria). A study of apoptosis markers in the blood serum of children with AD revealed a significant decrease (p 0.05) in the concentration of Annexin 5 compared to standard values (by 20 times). A statistically significant decrease (p 0.05) in the concentration levels of Caspase 8 and Caspase 9 in the serum of AD patients was revealed. Thus, the concentrations of Caspase 8 were reduced on by 3 times, and Caspase 9 by 8 times compared to the norm. Also In addition, when determining sFas-L indicators, a statistically significant (p 0.05) decrease in concentration was noted compared to standard indicators. The content of sCD153 in the blood serum in AD patients was significantly higher (p 0.05) than the normative values by 5 times (not detected normally). The most pronounced disturbances in apoptosis indicators were observed in patients with severe atopic dermatitis, (p 0.05), highlighting the importance of studying apoptosis in the context of AD and the possible link between disruptions in this process and the severity of clinical manifestations in patients. The study demonstrates the peculiarities of apoptosis processes in children with AD. On the one hand, these patients have significantly increased activation of signaling systems, on the other hand, the elimination of altered immunocompetent cells does not occur properly, which contributes to the progression and chronicity of immune inflammation in the skin.