الفهرس 
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Abstract
Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane proteins
that function as pattern-recognition receptors for the detection and response to microbial ligands. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL); is a
lymphoprolifrative disorder characterized by clonal expansion of malignant CD4+ T cell in the skin. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been implicated in various dermatological diseases, CTCL is one of them.
Aim of work: is to measure the tissue and serum level of toll-like receptor-6 (TLR6) in mycosis fungoides (MF) patients in comparison to age and sex matched healthy controls . We hope that this may bring us closer to investigate its role in pathogensis and to detect whether it could be a reliable prognostic factor in MF or not.
Patients and Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 48 subjects. These included 33 mycosis fungoides (MF) patients and 15 age and sex matched healthy volunteers served as controls. A 4-mm punch skin biopsy and blood sample were obtained from patients and from healthy controls for detection of TLR6 concentration using ELISA kits.
Results: Tissue Toll-like receptor 6 concentration was decreased in MF patients than in controls in highly statistically significant manner with p < 0.001. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the lowest and highest mean values detected in patients with stage IA and stage IIB respectively. We also found that serum TLR6 concentration was decreased in MF patients than in controls in highly statistically significant difference with p < 0.001 between patient and control and there was statistically significant difference as the patients progressed from stage IA to stage IIB.
No statistically significant correlation was detected between both tissue and serum TLR6 levels and the patients’ demographic data including the gender of MF patients, and the patients’ age.
Conclusion: Serum and tissue TLR6 is decreased in mycosis fungoides, and tissue TLR6 levels correlate positively with the stage of mycosis fungoides, suggesting that tissue TLR6 level could be a possible prognostic factor in MF.