Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Medical Biochemistry

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder with potential systemic complications. Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, subclinical atherosclerosis, and smoking. Syndecan-4 is a transmembrane heparan sulfate-carrying glycoprotein that mediates signal transduction pathways activated by growth factors and cell surface receptors, thereby modulating tissue regeneration, angiogenesis, and focal adhesion. Objective: This work aims to investigate the possible association of syndecan-4 genotypes and hypertension in psoriatic patients among Egyptian population. Subjects and methods: Blood samples were obtained from 30 patients with psoraisis and from 30 patients with psoriasis and hypertension and 30 normotensive unrelated healthy controls. Syndecan-4 genotyping (syndecan 4 SNP rs1981429) by real-time PCR and estimation plasma Syndecan-4 levels using ELISA was performed. Results: Results of the present study have revealed that plasma syndecan-4 level was significantly higher (p<0.001) in psoriatic and psoriasis + hypertension patients than in controls. Also, a significant increase (p=0.001) in plasma syndecan-4 levels was detected in psoriasis+hypertension group compared to psoriasis group. Syndecan -4 (rs1981429) genotyping revealed that the TT genotype and the frequency of the T allele were significantly higher in the psoriasis+ hypertension group (p=0.022, p=0.019, respectively) compared to the control group. Also, the frequency of the T allele was significantly higher in the psoriasis+ hypertension patients than in the psoriasis patients p=0.046

Issued also as CD