Evaluation of Serum UL16 Binding Protein 3 in Patients with Tinea Capitis

This study evaluated serum UL16 Binding Protein 3 (ULBP3) levels in 60 patients with Tinea capitis (TC) and 30 controls. The research found that ULBP3, a crucial immune response regulator, is inactive in healthy hair follicles but significantly upregulated in TC patients' dermal sheath and papilla. The study revealed substantial differences in serum marker levels across various species of pathogens, with M. canis being the most common. The findings suggest that ULBP3 may play a role in TC pathogenesis and could serve as an independent risk factor for predicting TC vulnerability, activity, and severity.