Investigating the mean expression differences for selected molecular candidates, across the first five weeks after IPA onset, we observed significant induction in the expression of ITGB3, MMP1, and MMP9 in probable IPA cases, while the expression of CD40, CXCL8, and LGALS2 was significantly decreased compared with control patients (Figure 2b). Here, MMP9 is linked to Ito hypomelanosis.