# CD39 in the pathogenesis of neuro-Behçet disease: is it an immune regulator marker?

**Authors:** Khadija Bahrini, Amani Stiti, Sana Boughariou, Meriam Belghith

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1779249 · Frontiers in Immunology · 2026-03-09

## TL;DR

This paper reviews CD39's role in Neuro-Behçet disease, exploring its dual function in inflammation and immune regulation and its potential as a treatment target.

## Contribution

The paper provides a synthesis of CD39's role in neuroinflammation, particularly in Neuro-Behçet’s Disease, and its potential as a therapeutic target.

## Key findings

- CD39 modulates inflammation by converting ATP to adenosine, which has immunosuppressive effects.
- CD39 has a dual role in both promoting and regulating immune responses in NBD.
- CD39 is proposed as a potential therapeutic target for managing NBD.

## Abstract

Neuro-Behçet’s disease (NBD) is a severe neurological manifestation of Behçet’s disease (BD), a multisystemic inflammatory vasculitis affecting multiple organs. NBD presents complex immunopathological features involving both innate and adaptive immune responses. CD39 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1, ENTPD1), an ectoenzyme expressed on various immune cells, has emerged as a critical regulator of inflammation through its role in hydrolyzing extracellular ATP to immunosuppressive adenosine. This mini-review explores the role of CD39 in modulating neuroinflammation in NBD, focusing on its function in immune cell subsets, its dual role in inflammation and regulation, and its potential as a therapeutic target. It synthesizes the role of CD39 in neuroinflammatory disorders, with a specific focus on Neuro-Behçet’s Disease (NBD). We examine the dual role of CD39 expression in driving inflammation and immune regulation, and highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** ENTPD1 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1) [NCBI Gene 953], ENTPD1 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1) [NCBI Gene 953]
- **Diseases:** Behçet’s disease (MONDO:0007191)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** ENTPD1 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1) [NCBI Gene 953] {aka ATP-DPH, ATPDase, CD39, NTPDase-1, SPG64}
- **Diseases:** inflammation (MESH:D007249), inflammatory vasculitis (MESH:D014657), BD (MESH:D001528), neuroinflammation (MESH:D000090862)
- **Chemicals:** ATP (MESH:D000255), adenosine (MESH:D000241)

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

40 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13006216/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13006216