Role of Galectin-9 in Atopic Dermatitis — Is It Mediated Through E Selectin? A Clinical and Immunohistochemical Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic and Clinical Data of Studied Subjects

Data	Cases No = 22		Control No = 10		Test of Sig.
	No	%	No	%
	Age (years)					T
Mean ± SD	6.18±1.68		5.70±1.56		0.76	0.44
Range	4–9		3–10
Median	6		5
Sex
Male	6	27.3	5	50	FXT	0.21
Female	16	72.7	5	50	1.5
Duration of disease			——–
Mean ± SD	2.42±1.18
Range	1–5
Median	2
Age of disease onset			——–
Mean ± SD	4.3±1.2
Range	3–7
Median	4
SCORAD Score			——–
Mean ± SD	57.3±28.1
Range	20–103
	45
Disease severity			——–
Mild	3 (14.3%)
Moderate	9 (42.9%)
Severe	9 (42.9%)
Family history of atopic disease			——–
Positive	12 (54.5%)
Negative	10 (45.5%)

Note: T: Student’s t-test.

Abbreviation: FXT, Fisher’s exact test.

Figure 1 (A) Patchy mild cytoplasmic expression of gal-9 (red boxes) in control epidermis (Immunoperoxidase, 400 ×); (B) Diffuse moderately nucleo-cytoplasmic expression (red arrows) of gal-9 is in epidermal keratinocytes in AD skin section (Immunoperoxidase, 40 ×); (C) Mild nuclear expression (red arrows) of gal-9 in the epidermal keratinocytes of AD skin section (Immunoperoxidase, 400 ×).

Table 2 Comparison Between Studied Groups Regarding Galectin-9 Immunoreactivity

	Studied Group No = 32				Test of Significance	P value
	Control No = 10		Atopic Dermatitis No = 22
	No	%	No	%
Expression					FXT	0.313
Positive	9	90	22	100	2.27
Negative	1	10	0	0
Intensity					FXT 6.03	0.04*
Mild	8	88.9	9	40.9
Moderate	1	11.1	10	45.5
Strong	0	0	3	13.6
Localization					FXT 31	˂0.001*
Nuclear	0	0	5	22.7
Nucleo-cytoplasmic	0	0	17	77.3
Cytoplasmic	9	100	0	0
Percent					U 3.8	˂0.001*
Mean ± SD	12.7 ± 12.01		55.6 ± 24.3
Range	5–40		10–90
Median	5		60
H score					U 3.7	˂0.001*
Mean ± SD	17.22 ± 24.3		107.9 ± 76.8
Range	5–80		15–270
Median	5		105
Inflammatory cells					FXT 20.1	˂0.001*
Positive	0	0	19	86.4
Negative	9	100	3	13.6
Inflammatory cells					FXT 16	˂0.001*
Positive	0	0	17	81
Negative	9	100	4	19

Notes: U: Mann–Whitney U-test. *Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: FXT, Fisher’s exact test.

Figure 2 (A) Mild focal cytoplasmic expression of E selectin (red arrows) in epidermal keratinocytes of control section (Immunoperoxidase, 400 ×); (B) Moderate focal cytoplasmic expression of E selectin (red arrows) in AD epidermal keratinocytes (Immunoperoxidase, 200 ×); (C) Diffuse moderate predominantly nuclear expression of E selectin (red circles) in the epidermal keratinocytes of AD skin section (Immunoperoxidase, 400 ×).

Table 3 Comparison Between Studied Groups Regarding E Selectin Immunoreactivity

	Studied Group No = 32				Test of Significance	P value
	Control No = 10		Atopic Dermatitis No = 22
	No	%	no	%
Expression					FXT	0.56
Positive	9	90	21	95.5	0.34
Negative	1	10	1	4.5
Percent					U 3.20	0.001*
Mean ± SD	27.7 ± 13.01		47.38 ± 30.3
Range  Median	10–40 30		5–90 40
H score					U 2.96	0.002*
Mean ± SD	46.6 ± 35.7		103.5 ± 92.6
Range	10–120		5–270
Median	40		80
Intensity	no = 9	%	no = 21	%	FXT	0.77
Mild	5	55.6	9	42.9	0.29
Moderate	3	33.3	8	38.1
Strong	1	11.1	4	19
Localization					FXT 30	˂0.001*
Nuclear	0	0	7	33.3
Nucleo-cytoplasmic	0	0	14	66.7
Cytoplasmic	9	100	0	0
Inflammatory cells					FXT 16	˂0.001*
Positive	0	0	17	81
Negative	9	100	4	19

Notes: U: Mann–Whitney U-test. *Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: FXT, Fisher’s exact test.

Figure 3 Showing co-localization of the both E-selectin (A) and galectin-9; (B) immunohistochemical nucleo-cytoplasmic expression (red circles in both (A and B) in the epidermis of a case of atopic dermatitis (immunoperoxidase 200 × HPF [A], 40 × HPF [B]).

Table 4 Relationship Between Galectin-9 H Score and Studied Parameters

	Galectin-9 H Score
	(r)	P value
Age (years)	0.04	0.86
Age of onset (years)	0.06	0.77
Disease duration/years	0.03	0.86
SCORAD score	0.79	˂0.001*
E selectin H score	−0.03	0.86

Note: *Statistically significant.