Abstract: PAN Yue-fei, FU Meng, GAO Ji-xin, LI Wei, QIAO Hong-jiang, LI Chun-ying, LI Cheng-xin, WANG Gang, GAO Tian-wen, LIU Yu-feng. Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China Corresponding author: LIU Yu-feng, Email：liuyuf@fmmu.eud.cn 【Abstract】 Objective To compare the cellular and serum expression levels of granulysin among patients with different types of drug eruption. Methods Blood samples were collected from 7 patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis （TEN）, 5 patients with acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome （SJS）, 8 patients with erythema multiforme, 8 patients with exanthematic drug eruption, and 11 healthy controls. Flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were performed to quantify the protein expression of granulysin in peripheral blood T cells and sera from these subjects, respectively. Data were processed by the SPSS17.0 software, and differences in these parameters were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and independent or paired sample t-test. Results The serum level of granulysin in patients with TEN or acute SJS was significantly higher than that in those with exanthematic drug eruption and healthy controls （（0.196 ± 0.079） μg/L vs.（0.022 ± 0.003） μg/L and （0.013 ± 0.005） μg/L, F = 3.926, P < 0.05）, but similar to that in those with erythema multiforme （（0.058 ± 0.004 ） μg/L, P > 0.05）. Significant differences were observed in the proportion of CD8+ T cells expressing granulysin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMCs） between patients with TEN or acute SJS, erythema multiforme, exanthematic drug eruption, and healthy controls （（3.400 ± 0.754）% vs. （0.600 ± 0.250）% vs. （0.342 ± 0.251）% vs. （0.054 ± 0.024）%, F = 11.4, P < 0.01）. Conclusions Granulysin is highly expressed in patients with TEN and SJS, which may have potential value for their differential diagnosis and prognosis evaluation at acute phase.

Key words: Granulysin