[Association of Higher Defensin Beta-4 Genomic copy numbers with Behcet's Disease in Iraqi Patients]

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Behcet's disease [BD] is an immune-mediated small vessel systemic vasculitis. Human beta-defensins are antimicrobial peptides associated with many inflammatory diseases and are encoded by the beta-defensin family of multiple-copy genes. However, their role in BD necessitates further investigation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible association of BD in its various clinical forms with defensin beta-4 [DEFB4] genomic copy numbers