Comparison of TLR-2, TLR-4, and antimicrobial peptide levels in different lesions of acne vulgaris

Kilic, Murat/0000-0002-1377-2021WOS: 000384429000007PubMed: 26695933Context: Recent studies have shown that tolls like receptors (TLRs) and antimicrobial peptides (hBD-1, cathelicidin) play an important role in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris (AV).Objective: To evaluate and report the expression of TLR-2, TLR-4, hBD-1 and cathelicidin in different regions of skin in AV.Participants: This study was performed in 80 patients with AV and a control group of 20 healthy individuals.Material and methods: Skin biopsies were performed from 20 papular, 20 pustular, 20 comedonal and 20 nodular lesions of patients and 20 healthy volunteers. Expression levels of TLR-2, TLR-4, hBD-1 and cathelicidin in four separate areas (epidermis, dermis, inflammation region and skin appendages) were evaluated by immunohistochemical method. Further, these parameters were compared between different skin lesions.Results: A significant difference was found between the levels of staining of TLR-2, TLR-4 and hBD-1 from the epidermis, inflammation region, dermis and skin appendages (p<0.05). Levels of cathelicidin were different in only the inflammation region (p<0.05). The level of TLR-2 in the epidermis with nodules was lower than the papules and comedones (p<0.05). Levels of TLR-2 in the inflammation and dermis of the cases with papules were significantly higher when compared to pustules (p<0.05). The levels of staining of TLR-4 in the dermis with comedones were significantly lower compared to the cases with papules (p<005). The level of hBD-1 in the epidermis region of comedones was significantly higher compared to nodules (p<0.05). The expression of cathelicidin in the inflammation region of comedones was significantly low (p