AB0049 Evaluation of caspase-3, caspase-9, caspase-14 and pannexin-1 levels in behÇet’s disease
Authors: A. İlhan, M.E. Derin, I. Karadağ, H.O. Doğan, A.C. Urhan, M. Şahin, A. Şahin
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2018)

<h3>Background</h3> Behçet's disease (BD) is a rheumatic disease in which various systemic findings such as especially recurrent oral afts, and genital ulcers, eye involvement, skin lesions, gastrointestinal involvement, neurological involvement, vascular involvement and arthritis can be seen.<sup>1</sup> The pathogenesis of the disease has not yet been fully understood. Caspases play a central role in apoptotic signal transduction. They are cysteine bound aspartate specific proteases.<sup>2</sup> There are three main types of caspases, the initiator caspases, the effector caspases and the inflammatory caspases. Pannexin-1 is a high-conduction voltage-gated channel protein that is commonly found in many organs and tissues including sensory systems and both neuronal and non-neuronal cell types.<sup>3</sup> <h3>Objectives</h3> The aim of this study is to examine the role of initiator, effector and inflammatory caspases in BD and the levels of pannexin duct protein, which is thought to be active in inflammation in BD and to compare clinical findings with healthy individuals. <h3>Methods</h3> Between January 2017 – June 2017, fourty-six patients diagnosed with BD admitting to Cumhuriyet University Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine Rheumatology and forty-four healthy volunteers without any rheumatic, systemic and metabolic diseases enrolled in this study. Clinical findings of all patients were recorded. The blood from a peripheral vein using suitable blood tubes was withdrew to measure serum caspase-3, caspase-9, caspase-14 and pannexin-1 levels. Blood tests were examined by Elisa method in Cumhuriyet University Department of Biochemistry. <h3>Results</h3> The mean serum caspase-3 level was measured as 12.04 (11.25–43.69) pg/ml in BD group and 12.1 (11.19–484.3) pg/ml in healthy control (HC) group. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups (p=0.143). The mean serum levels of caspase-9 in the BD group were measured as 22 (5.14–29.33) pg/ml and 22.01 (11.23–850) pg/ml in the HC group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.593). The mean serum caspase-14 level was 6 (5.2–8.21) pg/ml in the BD group and 6.15 (5.7–353) pg/ml in the HC group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.053). The mean serum pannexin-1 levels were 6.36 (4.21–527.2) pg/ml in the BD group and 255.8 (5.38–2000) pg/ml in the HC. Serum pannexin-1 levels were statistically significant higher in the HC group (p&lt;0.0001) (figure 1). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Serum caspase-3, caspase-9 and caspase-14 levels were not statistically significant different between BD and HC groups. Serum pannexin-1 levels were statistically significant lower in the BD group. <h3>References</h3> [1] Davatchi F, Chams-Davatchi C, Shams H, Shahram F, Nadji A, Akhlaghi M, et al. Behcet's disease: epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis. Expert Rev Clin Immunol2017Jan 2;13(1):57–65. [2] Green DR, Llambi F. Cell Death Signaling. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2015Dec 1;7(12):a006080. [3] Ishikawa M, Yamada Y. The Role of Pannexin 3 in Bone Biology. J Dent Res. 2017Apr 13;96(4):3729. <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> We would like to thank to "Cumhuriyet University Scientifical Projects Unit (CUBAP)" for funding this project. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared