Nanees H. KAMEL, Iman Hussein SHEHATA, Mohamed A. SAKR, Fatma El-Zahraa Y. FATHY
Turkish Journal of Immunology - 2026;14(2):110-119
Objective: Psoriasis vulgaris (Pv) is a chronic inflammatory condition with a genetic and immunological basis. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is a key immunoregulatory molecule expressed on T cells that transmits inhibitory signals important for maintaining immune homeostasis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CTLA-4 gene, as well as changes in the soluble form of CTLA-4 (sCTLA-4), may influence CTLA-4 function or expression and contribute to psoriasis pathogenesis. This study aimed to examine the association of two CTLA-4 SNPs, rs231775 (+49A/G) and rs3087243 (CT60), as well as serum sCTLA-4 levels with Pv. Materials and Methods: The study enrolled patients with Pv and healthy controls. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and serum sCTLA-4 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The study included 45 patients and 45 controls. No significant association was detected between individual SNPs and Pv. However, the G/G haplotype was significantly more frequent in the Pv group, suggesting an increased disease risk. Serum sCTLA-4 levels were significantly higher in patients with Pv and positively correlated with disease severity. Conclusion: These results suggest that haplotype interactions play a more important role than single SNP effects in psoriasis susceptibility, and that elevated sCTLA-4 may contribute to psoriasis immunopathogenesis.
