Comparative analysis of selected gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with rosacea and healthy volunteers

Introduction. Rosacea is a chronic skin disease with about 10% prevalence in the global population. The pathogenesis of the disease is multifactorial and is not yet fully understood. The dermatosis affects the facial skin and is characterized by persistent erythema, the formation of telangiectasias, papules, pustules, and can also be complicated by ophthalmic lesions.

The disease is rooted in impaired neurovascular regulation and changes in the innate immune systems. It is known that the expression of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) in the skin are increased in rosacea and the level of myeloperoxidase, a lymphocyte lysosomal enzyme, is increased in the inflammatory processes occurring in the arteries.

Aim. To study the level of these gene expression in blood lymphocytes in the acute stage of the disease.

Materials and methods. A total of 10 patients with erythematous rosacea, 10 patients with papulopustular rosacea and 10 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The peripheral blood samples were collected from the subjects for further isolation of lymphocytes. The level of gene expression was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results. Investigators observed a 3.7-fold increase in the activity of myeloperoxidase expression in immune blood cells compared to the values of healthy volunteers. Also, the level of relative VEGFA expression increased by 6.5 times, the level of VEGFС increased by 11 times in mononuclear lymphocytes of patients compared to the values of healthy subjects. A comparative analysis in the groups of patients with erythematous and papulopustular rosacea showed a multidirectional expression pattern of vascular growth factors VEGFA and VEGFС. An increase in VEGFA expression is observed in the papulopustular rosacea, while VEGFС is higher in the erythematous form of the pathology.

Conclusion. The obtained results demonstrate that a significant increase in the gene expression levels associated with vascular activity and angiogenesis in rosacea occurs not only in the skin, but also in the peripheral blood mononuclear lymphocytes of the patients. The detected differences in the expression of vascular growth factors in different forms of the disease indicate the need for differentiated treatments.

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