Relationship Between Serum Interleukin-17, Cathelicidin Antimicrobial Peptide 37 Levels and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis

doi:10.3870/j.issn.1672-8009.2026.05.009

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between serum interleukin-17 （IL-17）, cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide LL-37 levels and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Methods A total of 168 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis admitted between June 2023 and December 2024 were selected and serum IL-17 and LL-37 levels were measured.According to cartid intima-media thickness（IMT）, patients were divided into atherosclerosis group （IMT ≥1.5 mm, n=56） and non-atherosclerosis group （IMT <1.5 mm, n=112）. Clinical data and serum IL-17 and LL-37 levels were compared between the two groups. We used Pearson correlation analysis to evaluate the association between serum IL-17, LL-37 levels and IMT. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the factors affecting carotid atherosclerosis. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of serum biomarkers for carotid atherosclerosis. Results The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score and levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDLC）, C-reactive protein, uric acid, IL-17 and LL-37 in serum of the atherosclerosis group were higher than those of the non-atherosclerosis group （P<0.05）. Serum IL-17 and LL-37 showed significant positive correlations with carotid IMT （P<0.05）. Elevated IL-17 （OR=1.255）, elevated LL-37 （OR=1.014）, and elevated LDLC （OR=13.278） were risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis （P<0.05）. The areas under the curve （AUC） of IL-17, LL-37, LDLC for diagnosing carotid atherosclerosis were 0.861, 0.848, 0.702, respectively. The AUCs for IL-17 and LL-37 in diagnosing carotid atherosclerosis were higher than those for LDLC （P<0.05）, and there was no statistically significant difference in the AUCs between IL-17 and LL-37 （P>0.05）. Conclusion Elevated serum IL-17 and LL-37 levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The diagnostic efficacy of IL-17 and LL-37 as diagnostic markers for carotid atherosclerosis is superior to that of LDLC.

Key words: moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, carotid atherosclerosis, serum interleukin-17, LL-37, risk factors

CLC Number:

R758.63

ZHAO Xuming, CHAI Qinqin, LI Yawei, JING Xiaolei, LIU Xiaojing, YANG Xiaojing, MENG Zhaoying. Relationship Between Serum Interleukin-17, Cathelicidin Antimicrobial Peptide 37 Levels and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis[J]. Journal of Medical Molecular Biology, 2026, 23(5): 549-555.

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