Blood cytokines as potential predictors of therapy effectiveness in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis treated with the IL-12/IL-23 inhibitor ustekinumab
- Authors: Karamova A.E.1, Vorontsova A.A.1, Nikonorov A.А.1, Nikonorova E.R.1,2, Kubanov А.A.1
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Affiliations:
- State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology
- All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
- Issue: Vol 101, No 1 (2025)
- Pages: 50-58
- Section: ORIGINAL STUDIES
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/0042-4609/article/view/287231
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.25208/vdv16814
- ID: 287231
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Abstract
Background. Despite the proven efficacy and safety of biologics in the treatment of psoriasis (Ps), a number of patients experience heterogeneity in response to therapy in both the short-term and long-term perspectives.
Aims. To identify correlations between the blood cytokine levels, clinical severity indices and the effectiveness of the IL-12/IL-23 inhibitor (ustekinumab) therapy.
Methods. The study enrolled 25 patients with psoriasis. The severity of the disease was assessed using PASI, BSA, sPGA. The clinical efficacy of ustekinumab was determined by the percentage of PASI reduction: good response(≥90) moderate response (≥75) and low efficacy (≤50). Blood cytokine levels were determined by multiplex immunological analysis (xMAP) technology. Statistical analysis was performed using RStudio and the R programming language.
Results. Moderate Ps was diagnosed in 15 patients (60%), severe — in 10 (40%). The baseline levels of IL31, sCD40L and VEGF were respectively 2.3 (p = 0.018),2.3 (p = 0.010), and 2.0 (p = 0.033) times higher in severe Ps. By the 16th week, therapy was effective in 92% of patients and was accompanied by a 3.47 fold decrease in IL-31 (p = 0.002) and an increase in ICAM1 and VEGF by 35.8% (p = 0.026) and 4.2 times (p < 0.001) respectively. A correlation between ∆PASI and IL-12, IL-17F, IL-20, IL-22, IL-31, sCD40L, VEGF was found. Ustekinumab significantly modified cytokine interactions and neutralized their correlation with ∆PASI.
Conclusion. IL-31, sCD40L and VEGF baseline levels correlate with Ps severity, IL-17F, IL-20 and IL-31 — with ∆PASI, demonstrating their potential use in objectively determining Ps severity and predicting the ustekinumab therapy effectiveness.
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##article.viewOnOriginalSite##About the authors
Arfenya E. Karamova
State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology
Email: karamova@cnikvi.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3805-8489
SPIN-code: 3604-6491
MD, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Assistant Professor
Russian Federation, 3 bldg 6 Korolenko street,107076 MoscowAnastasiia A. Vorontsova
State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology
Email: nastasia08@bk.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3129-0050
Junior researcher of department of dermatology
Russian Federation, 3 bldg 6 Korolenko street,107076 MoscowAlexandr А. Nikonorov
State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology
Email: nikonorov_all@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7214-8176
SPIN-code: 3859-7081
MD, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor
Russian Federation, 3 bldg 6 Korolenko street,107076 MoscowEvgenia R. Nikonorova
State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology; All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
Email: gatiatulinaer@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6360-2194
SPIN-code: 5392-5170
MD, Cand. Sci. (Med.)
Russian Federation, 3 bldg 6 Korolenko street,107076 Moscow; MoscowАlexey A. Kubanov
State Research Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology
Author for correspondence.
Email: alex@cnikvi.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7625-0503
SPIN-code: 8771-4990
MD, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation, 3 bldg 6 Korolenko street,107076 MoscowReferences
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